The penguin and I

My Fedora 16 road map

2011-11-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

- If you have had problems with automatically mounting LUKS partition, see my post addressing the issue here

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---

-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---

#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-rawhide.noarch.rpm
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-rawhide.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe (Flash plugin, AdobeAIR and AcrobatReader) 32 bits:
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-i386-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe Flash for 64bits:
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-x86_64-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Chromium (for Fedora here):
#---
wget http://repos.fedorapeople.org/repos/spot/chromium-stable/fedora-chromium-stable.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/fedora-chromium.repo
#---

-- Setting up a not-so-restricting SELinux: here

-- Remove things I do NOT like (do not remove xine if you prefer KDE):

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem* \
brasero*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:

-- Chromium:
#---
yum -y install \
chromium
#---

-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
k3b \
k3b-extras-freeworld
#---

Because Adobe Reader is usually very slow to download, I keep it separated and leave it to be last installed.
#---
yum -y install \
AdobeReader_enu
#---

-- Spell-checking
--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
hunspell-de \
hunspell-es \
hunspell-pt
#---

-- Audacious (XMMS is not that great anymore):
#---
yum -y install \
audacious \
audacious-plugin-fc \
audacious-plugins-amidi \
audacious-plugins-exotic \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-aac \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-ffaudio \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-mms \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-mp3 \
audacious-plugins-freeworld \
audacious-plugins-jack \
audacious-plugins-sid \
audacious-plugins \
audacious-plugin-xmp
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
pidgin-gfire \
pidgin-musictracker \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-facebookchat \
purple-microblog \
pidgin-sipe \
purple-msn-pecan
#---

--- If you use LaTeX you may find this plugin appealing:
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin-latex
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

--- For 64bit or old processors (non-PAE)
#---
yum -y install \
dkms \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc

--- Backups with Back In Time:
#---
yum -y install \
backintime-common \
backintime-gnome
#---

--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
ImageMagick \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
gnuplot \
inkscape
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
ctags \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- Administration related programs
#---
yum -y install \
telnet \
lsof \
nmap \
nc \
traceroute \
mc \
AcetoneISO2 \
rdesktop
#---

--- Very nice "must-have" admin programs:
#---
yum -y install \
keepassx \
system-config-display \
gnome-password-generator
#---

--- For WLAN Cracking
#---
yum -y install \
aircrack-ng \
airsnort
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
akmod-nvidia \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---

-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
#Driver "nouveau"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- Some helper programs
#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Debug related programs
#---
yum -y install \
gdb \
gcc \
strace \
ltrace
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn
#---

--- For GIT support:
#---
yum -y install \
git-all
#---

-- Update your system:#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware Player
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse
-- NetBeans

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
-- Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:
-- Skype may need some extra configuration (see link for 64bits) and some SELinux relaxation (see link for SELinux).

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:
- Installing Skype in 64bits (external link)
- Mounting former LUKS partition
- SELinux
- Road map for Fedora 15
- Making USB to work with VirtualBox (external link)
- Adding security to SSH
- Backups with Back In Time

My Fedora 15 road map

2011-11-10T04:59:00.000-08:00

- If you have had problems with automatically mounting LUKS partition, see my post addressing the issue here

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---

-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---

#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-rawhide.noarch.rpm
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-rawhide.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe (Flash plugin, AdobeAIR and AcrobatReader) 32 bits:
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-i386-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe Flash for 64bits:
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-x86_64-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Chromium (for Fedora here):
#---
wget http://repos.fedorapeople.org/repos/spot/chromium-stable/fedora-chromium-stable.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/fedora-chromium.repo
#---

-- Setting up a not-so-restricting SELinux: here

-- Remove things I do NOT like (do not remove xine if you prefer KDE):

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem* \
brasero*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:

-- Chromium:
#---
yum -y install \
chromium
#---

-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
alsa-tools \
alsamixergui \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
adobeair \
k3b \
k3b-extras-freeworld
#---

Because Adobe Reader is usually very slow to download, I keep it separated and leave it to be last installed.
#---
yum -y install \
AdobeReader_enu
#---

-- Spell-checking
--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
hunspell-de \
hunspell-es \
hunspell-pt
#---

-- Audacious (XMMS is not that great anymore):
#---
yum -y install \
audacious \
audacious-plugin-fc \
audacious-plugins-amidi \
audacious-plugins-exotic \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-aac \rpmfusion-free-updates
audacious-plugins-freeworld-ffaudio \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-mms. \
audacious-plugins-freeworld-mp3 \
audacious-plugins-freeworld \
audacious-plugins-jack \
audacious-plugins-sid \
audacious-plugins \
audacious-plugin-xmp
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
pidgin-gfire \
pidgin-musictracker \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms \
purple-facebookchat \
purple-microblog \
pidgin-sipe \
purple-msn-pecan
#---

--- If you use LaTeX you may find this plugin appealing:
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin-latex
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

--- For 64bit or old processors (non-PAE)
#---
yum -y install \
dkms \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc

--- Backups with Back In Time:
#---
yum -y install \
backintime-common \
backintime-gnome
#---

--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
ImageMagick \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
gnuplot \
inkscape
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
ctags \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- Administration related programs
#---
yum -y install \
telnet \
lsof \
nmap \
nc \
traceroute \
mc \
tsclient \
AcetoneISO2 \
rdesktop
#---

--- Very nice "must-have" admin programs:
#---
yum -y install \
keepassx \
system-config-display \
gnome-password-generator
#---

--- For WLAN Cracking
#---
yum -y install \
aircrack-ng \
airsnort
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
akmod-nvidia \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---

-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
#Driver "nouveau"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- Some helper programs
#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Debug related programs
#---
yum -y install \
gdb \
gcc \
strace \
ltrace
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn
#---

--- For GIT support:
#---
yum -y install \
git-all
#---

-- Update your system:#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware Player
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse
-- NetBeans

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
-- Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:
-- Skype may need some extra configuration (see link for 64bits) and some SELinux relaxation (see link for SELinux).

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:
- Installing Skype in 64bits (external link)
- Mounting former LUKS partition
- SELinux
- Road map for Fedora 13
- Making USB to work with VirtualBox (external link)
- Adding security to SSH
- Backups with Back In Time

Back to Fedora14

2011-05-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm now back to Fedora 14, as I write I'm updating my freshly installed Fedora 14. The last drop was: "yum -y upgrade" and then NetworkManager wont start any more. Sorry, there is not the slightest chance that I can work without Internet. So, good buy Fedora 15 and welcome back Fedora 14.

Maybe is time to try out Ubuntu once again.

That is it for today.

A word about Fedora 15: DO NOT UPGRADE

2011-05-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm using Fedora 15 now for about 3 days and I just got around to make nouveau accept my side-kick monitor and make it work more or less seamlessly.

Before you even think about upgrading to Fedora 15 please read this critique first (if had read it before installing I wouldn't): http://ranjith.zfs.in/g/.

So, which are my current issues with it (mainly Gnome 3 and video drivers)?

- No right-click on Gnome 3 (this is correct, right-click is disabled or ignored).
- Nouveau does not support GLX (read, no 3D acceleration) my video card properly: nVidia Corporation G72M [Quadro NVS 110M/GeForce Go 7300] (rev a1)
- nVidia proprietary driver does NOT work with external monitor and does NOT work at all with regular monitor (it is like you can move the mouse cursor and click around but no visual feedback). I tried the akmod version (270.41.06-1.fc15) and the nVidia version (270.41.19), none worked.
- Currently there is no updated issue of the RPMFusion repository for Fedora 15 (you need to install the rawhide version).

This means that my next issue of the Fedora road map will wait until I can manage to work those issues around (I'm seriously thinking about a downgrade to Fedora 14). This really brings not so fond RedHat 8.0 memories (for those of you long enough on the road to remember that nightmare).

Anyway, the current road map works almost ok (except that you need to install the rawhide version of RPMFusion):

#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-rawhide.noarch.rpm
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-rawhide.noarch.rpm
#---

Git server on CentOS 5.5

2011-03-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

This post is adapted from: http://www.davegardner.me.uk/blog/2010/01/29/setting-up-git-on-centos-5-server/

A. Yum Repositories:

You will need EPEL repository:

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL

#---
rpm -Uivh http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/epel/5/x86_64/epel-release-5-4.noarch.rpm
#---

B. Getting git installed:

1. Install Git and XinetD daemon:
#---
yum -y install \
git \
git-daemon
#---

All your repositories are under [/var/lib/git].

To change that just follow these instructions (I rather not change it):

1.1. Changing Git root dir
#---
MY_GIT_ROOT_DIR=>where will all git projects be<
mkdir -p ${MY_GIT_ROOT_DIR}
chmod 755 ${MY_GIT_ROOT_DIR}
chown root:root ${MY_GIT_ROOT_DIR}
#---

1.2. Adjust the daemon xinetd setup to use the new directory: /etc/xinetd.d/git
...
server_args = --base-path=>where will all git projects be< ...
...

2. Put XinetD to run:

#---
service xinetd restart
chkconfig --level 345 xinetd on
#---

3. Creating a project:

After that you just need to follow the instructions given on the link below:

http://thelucid.com/2008/12/02/git-setting-up-a-remote-repository-and-doing-an-initial-push/

Bugtracking using Trac

2010-12-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

This documentation is aimed at version 0.12

http://trac.edgewall.org

This documentation heavily based on the official documentation, so if you are unsure about something address it:
http://trac.edgewall.org/wiki/TracInstall

A. Prerequisites:

1. Database

I will use a MySQL database, but you could also use PostgreSQL or a local DB file (through Sqlite). So first you install the Server, if do not have one, and create the database according to the documentation, that I reproduce here.
#---
yum -y install \
mysql-server \
mysql \
MySQL-python
#---

I need "root" access for the following steps. (If have some "root" related problems please address to my corresponding post.)
http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2010/03/mysql-root-password-reset.html

1.2. Start the server (if necessary):
#---
service mysqld restart
chkconfig --level 345 mysqld on
#---

1.3. Get "root" MySQL shell:
#---
## skip this part if you already have a working MySQL server
## mysql_secure_installation
mysql -u root -p
#---

1.4. Create the database (on the shell):
CREATE DATABASE trac DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_bin;
USE trac;
GRANT ALL ON trac.* TO tracuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY '<plain text root password for trac>';

NOTE: Your connection string will be (remember it): mysql://tracuser:<plain text root password for trac>@localhost/trac

2. Version Control System:

For this example Subversion (SVN) which I already documented here:
http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2009/07/subversion-and-apache-with-pam.html
Or Git:
http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2011/03/git-server-on-centos-55.html

3. Apache

I assume that you already have an Apache server and want to put Trac along with other pages you may have.

3.1. Additional packages:
#---
yum -y install \
mod_fcgid \
mod_python \
mod_wsgi
#---

B. The Trac:

OBS.: For CentOS boxes, you need RPMForge repository (or else you are bound to the version 0.10):

#---
wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.x86_64.rpm
rpm -ivh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.x86_64.rpm
#---

1. Installing things:

1.1. Fedora:
#---
yum -y install \
trac \
trac-git-plugin \
trac-mercurial-plugin \
trac-iniadmin-plugin \
trac-accountmanager-plugin \
trac-customfieldadmin-plugin \
trac-peerreview-plugin \
trac-privateticketsplugin \
trac-ticketdelete-plugin \
trac-spamfilter-plugin
#---

1.2. CentOS:
#---
yum -y install \
trac \
trac-git-plugin \
trac-mercurial-plugin \
trac-iniadmin-plugin \
trac-peerreview-plugin \
trac-ticketdelete-plugin \
trac-spamfilter-plugin
#---

1.2.1 MySQL-python:

Because CentOS comes with MySql-python 1.2.1 (and this version does NOT work with Trac) you need to upgrade this manually:

#---
wget http://dev.centos.org/centos/5/testing/x86_64/RPMS/MySQL-python-1.2.2-3.el5s2.x86_64.rpm
rpm -Uvh MySQL-python-1.2.2-3.el5s2.x86_64.rpm
#---

2. Start the setup process:
#---
PRJ_NAME="<project name>"
PRJ_DIR=`echo $PRJ_NAME | tr [A-Z] [a-z] | sed -e "s/[^[:alnum:]]/\./g"`
DB_CONN="mysql://tracuser:<plain text root password for trac>@localhost/trac"
#DB_CONN="sqlite:db/trac.db"
REPOS_TYPE="git" # could be one of: "git", "mercurie" or "svn"
REPOS_DIR="/var/lib/git/${PRJ_NAME}.git"
TRAC_DIR="/var/local/trac"
TRAC_PRJS_DIR="${TRAC_DIR}/projects"
TRAC_PRJ_DIR="${TRAC_PRJS_DIR}/${PRJ_DIR}"
mkdir -p ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR}
trac-admin ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR} initenv "${PRJ_NAME}" "${DB_CONN}" "${REPOS_TYPE}" "${REPOS_DIR}"
#---

NOTE: If something goes wrong and you want to do it again just remove the directory (but be aware that the Trac content will be lost):
#---
rm -rf ${TRAC_DIR}
#---

2.1. CentOS:
Currently there is an open issue with GitPlugin and Trac working together on CentOS:
http://trac-hacks.org/ticket/3757
http://trac-hacks.org/ticket/8102

2.2. Git Repository setup:
#---
cat >> ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR}/conf/trac.ini << __END__
[git]
cached_repository = false
git_bin = /usr/bin/git
persistent_cache = false
shortrev_len = 7

[components]
tracext.git.* = enabled
__END__
#---

3. Setting up the Apache server:

I prefer this more complicated option because the odds are that you do not need yet another server running. Another assumption is that you will have several projects that also need separated tracking "spaces". For instance, you may start using technology "X" and latter on decide to migrate everything to technology "Y", so you probably do not want to mix bugs from "X" with "Y". This is, of course, obvious if you have software factory.

3.1. Create Web content (per project):

#---
TMP_DIR=`mktemp -d`
rm -rf ${TMP_DIR}
trac-admin ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR} deploy ${TMP_DIR}
mv ${TMP_DIR}/* ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR}
rm -rf ${TMP_DIR}
#---

3.2. Global configuration file (/etc/httpd/conf.d/trac.conf):
#---
cat > /etc/httpd/conf.d/trac.conf << __END__
#Global environment for Trac's CGI
<LocationMatch /cgi-bin/trac\.f?cgi>
SetEnv TRAC_ENV_PARENT_DIR "${TRAC_PRJS_DIR}"
</LocationMatch>
#Special environment for Trac's FastCGI CGI
<IfModule mod_fastcgi.c>
<LocationMatch /cgi-bin/trac\.fcgi>
FCGIDDefaultInitEnv TRAC_ENV_PARENT_DIR ${TRAC_PRJS_DIR}
</LocationMatch>
</IfModule>
#Python environment
<IfModule mod_python.c>
<LocationMatch "/trac/[^/]+/cgi-bin/trac.cgi>
SetHandler mod_python
PythonHandler trac.web.modpython_frontend
PythonOption TracEnvParentDir ${TRAC_PRJS_DIR}
</LocationMatch>
</IfModule>
##
# Authentication @ ${TRAC_DIR}/trac.htpasswd
# To add a new user:
# htpasswd ${TRAC_DIR}/trac.htpasswd <username>
#
##
<LocationMatch "/trac/[^/]+/login">
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Trac"
AuthUserFile ${TRAC_DIR}/trac.htpasswd
Require valid-user
</LocationMatch>
__END__
#---

3.3. Project specific configuration file (/etc/httpd/conf.d/trac-"<project name>".conf):
#---
cat > /etc/httpd/conf.d/trac-${PRJ_DIR}.conf << __END__
### Regular CGI
#ScriptAlias /trac/${PRJ_DIR} ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR}/cgi-bin/trac.cgi
### Fast CGI (default)
ScriptAlias /trac/${PRJ_DIR} ${TRAC_PRJ_DIR}/cgi-bin/trac.fcgi
__END__
#---

3.4. Authentication (via password file):

3.4.1. Creating the file AND admin user (JUST this ONE time):
#---
htpasswd -c ${TRAC_DIR}/trac.htpasswd admin
#---

3.4.2. Creating a regular user (notice the lack of '-c' parameter):
#---
htpasswd ${TRAC_DIR}/trac.htpasswd <username>
#---

3.4.3. Or use a generic safe single line:
#---
PASSFILE="${TRAC_DIR}/trac.htpasswd"
htpasswd `([[ -f ${PASSFILE} ]] && echo "" || echo "-c")` ${PASSFILE} admin
#---

#---
htpasswd `([[ -f ${PASSFILE} ]] && echo "" || echo "-c")` ${PASSFILE} <username>
#---

3.4.4. Check it out:
#---
cat ${PASSFILE}
#---

3.5. Security and SElinux:

3.5.1. SElinux and Trac:
#---
echo /usr/bin/chcon -R -v -t httpd_t \'${TRAC_DIR}\' | bash
#---

3.5.2. SElinux and Repository:
#---
echo /usr/bin/chcon -R -v -t httpd_t \'${REPOS_DIR}\' | bash
#---

4. Access and test:

#---
service httpd restart
firefox "http://localhost/trac/${PRJ_DIR}"
#---

C. Important files and directories:

1. Content:
/var/local/trac

2. Setup:
/var/local/trac/projects/<your project>/conf/trac.ini

3. Apache config:
3.1. General setup:
/etc/httpd/conf.d/trac.conf
3.2. Your project:
/etc/httpd/conf.d/trac-<your project>.conf

4. Logging:
/var/local/trac/projects/<your project>/log/

My Fedora 14 road map

2010-11-03T03:01:00.000-07:00

- If you have had problems with automatically mounting LUKS partition, see my post addressing the issue here

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---

-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---

NOTE: There are currently some outage by the official repository, so try a mirror:
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://ftp.tu-chemnitz.de/pub/linux/rpmfusion/free/fedora/updates/14/i386/rpmfusion-free-release-14-0.4.noarch.rpm
rpm -Uvhi http://ftp.tu-chemnitz.de/pub/linux/rpmfusion/nonfree/fedora/updates/14/i386/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-14-0.4.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe (Flash plugin, AdobeAIR and AcrobatReader)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-i386-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe Flash for 64bits:
1. go to http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html
2. download the latest version for linux (a tar.gz file)
2.1. for me it was: http://download.macromedia.com/pub/labs/flashplayer10/flashplayer10_1_rc6_linux_052510.tar.gz
3. install it:
#---
tar -vxzf <file.tar.gz> -C /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/
#---
4. restart browser
5. check if it is working: about:plugins

-- JPackage:

#---
wget http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage17.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo
#---

-- Chromium:

#---
wget http://repos.fedorapeople.org/repos/spot/chromium/fedora-chromium.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/fedora-chromium.repo
#---

--- Edit the /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo file:

If you want to work with J2EE, JBoss, and such change it to the following:
[jpackage-generic]
name=JPackage (free), generic
mirrorlist=http://www.jpackage.org/mirrorlist.php?dist=generic&type=free&release=5.0
failovermethod=priority
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage.asc
enabled=1

-- Setting up a not-so-restricting SELinux: here

[update: remove before installing, thanks to a reader comment]
-- Remove things I do NOT like (do not remove xine if you prefer KDE):

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem* \
brasero*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:

-- Chromium:
#---
yum -y install \
chromium
#---

-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
alsa-tools \
alsamixergui \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
adobeair \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree
#---

Because Adobe Reader is usually very slow to download, I keep it separated and leave it to be last installed.
#---
yum -y install \
AdobeReader_enu
#---

-- Spell-checking
--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
hunspell-de \
hunspell-es \
hunspell-pt
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins
#---

--- Turn SpamAssassin on (if you use it to filter your emails):
#---
chkconfig --level 345 spamassassin on
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme \
xmms2 \
xmms2-avcodec \
xmms2-faad \
xmms2-freeworld \
xmms2-mp4 \
xmms2-nonfree
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
pidgin-gfire \
pidgin-musictracker \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms \
purple-facebookchat \
purple-microblog \
purple-msn-pecan
#---

--- If you use LaTeX you may find this plugin appealing:
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin-latex
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

--- For 64bit or old processors (non-PAE)
#---
yum -y install \
dkms \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc

--- Backups with Back In Time:
#---
yum -y install \
backintime-common \
backintime-gnome
#---

--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
ImageMagick \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
gnuplot \
inkscape
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
ctags \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- Administration related programs
#---
yum -y install \
telnet \
lsof \
nmap \
nc \
traceroute \
mc \
tsclient \
AcetoneISO2 \
rdesktop
#---

--- Very nice "must-have" admin programs:
#---
yum -y install \
keepassx \
system-config-display \
gnome-password-generator
#---

--- For WLAN Cracking
#---
yum -y install \
aircrack-ng \
airsnort
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
akmod-nvidia \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---

-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
#Driver "nouveau"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- Some helper programs
#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Debug related programs
#---
yum -y install \
gdb \
gcc \
strace \
ltrace
#---

--- Java support:
#---
yum -y install \
gcc-java \
java-1.6.0-openjdk \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-plugin \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-javadoc \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src \
java-1.5.0-gcj \
java-1.5.0-gcj-devel \
java-1.5.0-gcj-javadoc \
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
#---

--- JBoss support:
#---
yum -y install \
jbossas
#---

--- NetBeans:
#---
yum -y install \
netbeans
#---

--- Eclipse for Java:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-platform \
eclipse-ecj \
eclipse-jdt \
eclipse-cvs-client \
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn
#---

--- For GIT support:
#---
yum -y install \
git-all
#---

#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-subclipse \
eclipse-subclipse-book
#---

--- For C++ development:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-cdt
#---

--- Mylyn plugin:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-mylyn \
eclipse-mylyn-ide \
eclipse-mylyn-java \
eclipse-mylyn-bugzilla \
eclipse-mylyn-trac
#---

A note on the docs, you will find them in:

/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.5.0-gcj/
/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.6.0-openjdk/

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse
-- NetBeans

- For a better experience when installing third-part software from Danger Mouse:
#---
rpm -Uvh http://dnmouse.org/autoten-4.6-4.fc13.noarch.rpm
#---

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
-- Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:
-- Skype may need some extra configuration (see link for 64bits) and some SELinux relaxation (see link for SELinux).

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:
- Installing Skype in 64bits (external link)
- Mounting former LUKS partition
- SELinux
- Road map for Fedora 13
- Making USB to work with VirtualBox (external link)
- Adding security to SSH
- Backups with Back In Time

[update] Skype and MS VX-1000 WebCam

2010-08-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

Ok here is the deal, since my last kernel update (2.6.33.6-147.2.4.fc13.x86_64) my webcam (a crappy Microsoft Corp. LifeCam VX-1000, USBID: 045e:00f7) stops working. No video and no microphone.

You have some options:

1. Back to the previous kernel (not a good idea)
2. Buy another camera (this one is really crappy, but an option for either)
3. Buy an extra microphone (I'm not kin of that either)
4. Do the hard work (what I'm going to show here)

[UPDATE] Still necessary for the kernel 2.6.33.8-149.fc13.x86_64
A.The Video

First of all to get the video running you need the following library (which you probably already have):
#---
yum -y install \
libv4l
#---

The creates a Skype start-up script:
#---
cat > ~/bin/skype-vl41compat.sh < __END__
export LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so
/usr/bin/skype
__END__
#---

NOTE if you have a x86_64 it is the SAME script (the lib64 version does NOT work)

Changes the shortcut for Skype to: $HOME/bin/skype-vl41compat.sh. Now just check it out on Skype by testing the camera.

As an alternative you can follow the instructions here: http://dougsland.livejournal.com/107373.html (Very nicely done with screenshots and all).

[UPDATE] for kernel 2.6.33.8-149.fc13.x86_64 you do NOT need to recompile the audio driver
B. The Audio (Microphone)

Here is the tricky part, you need to compile the patched driver.
Get the latest driver from http://linuxtv.org/hg/~hgoede/gspca/ and compile it:

#---
wget http://linuxtv.org/hg/~hgoede/gspca/archive/tip.tar.gz
tar -vxzf tip.tar.gz -C /tmp
cd /tmp/`tar -vtzf tip.tar.gz | grep INSTALL | sed -e 's/.*$gspca-.*$INSTALL/\1/'`
make
make install
#---

Restart your box (it has updated the kernel modules) and have fun.

NOTE If the mic does not work you may need to restart the module:
#---
rmmod gspca_sonixj
modprobe gspca_sonixj
#---

References:
http://osdir.com/ml/ubuntu-http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifusers/2009-06/msg00531.html
http://dougsland.livejournal.com/107373.html

Fedora 13 and Hedgewars 0.9.13

2010-07-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hedgewars is a nice game, try it :-)

1. Download and expand Hedgewars source code:
#---
wget http://fireforge.net/frs/download.php/541/hedgewars-src-0.9.13.tar.bz2
tar -xjf hedgewars-src-0.9.13.tar.bz2 -C /tmp/
#---

2. Install the following packages:
#---
yum -y install \
fpc \
gcc \
gcc-c++ \
qt-devel \
SDL-devel \
SDL_net-devel \
SDL_mixer-devel \
SDL_image-devel \
SDL_ttf-devel
#---

3. Compile the code:
#---
cd /tmp/hedgewars-src-0.9.13
cmake -Wno-dev
make
make install
#---

4. Code deployed at:

/usr/local/bin/hedgewars

and

/usr/local/share/hedgewars/

Have fun

Backups with Back In Time

2010-06-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

I used to be a user of flyback (post here) but since it only launches updates for Debian/Ubuntu I started to look for another alternative. The best I could found was Back In Time. It works exactly like Flyback (rsync and hard links) :

http://backintime.le-web.org/

To install:
#---
yum -y install \
backintime-common \
backintime-gnome
#---

Related posts:
Time Machine on Linux

Monitoring with Nagios

2010-06-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

If planning on monitoring your servers, Nagios is the guy.

Official documentation:
http://www.nagios.org/documentation
http://nagios.sourceforge.net/docs/3_0/toc.html

For Fedora configuration and SElinux issues refer to:
http://nagios.sourceforge.net/docs/3_0/quickstart-fedora.html

Install the necessary packages:
#---
yum -y install \
httpd \
php \
nagios \
nagios-plugins-all
#---

Main configuration and relevant files:
/etc/httpd/conf.d/nagios.conf -- (refer further on by the alias http-nagios)
/var/log/httpd/error_log -- error_log (alias)
/var/log/httpd/access_log -- access_log (alias)
/etc/nagios/passwd -- pass_nagios (alias)
/etc/nagios/nagios.cfg -- cfg_nagios (alias)
/etc/nagios/cgi.cfg -- cgi_nagios (alias)

The default user is "nagios" (specified in http-nagios) and you need to set its password before trying to access your fresh Nagios site
#---
htpasswd -c /etc/nagios/passwd nagios
#---

Add further users, such as the nagiosadmin, with:
#---
htpasswd /etc/nagios/passwd nagiosadmin
#---

Check it:
#---
cat /etc/nagios/passwd
#---

Setup Nagios to accept access from the nagios user: editing the cgi_nagios file and change it to have the following settings:

...
authorized_for_system_information=nagiosadmin,nagios
...
authorized_for_all_services=nagiosadmin,nagios
authorized_for_all_hosts=nagiosadmin,nagios
...
authorized_for_read_only=nagios
...

Note: every time you change your cgi_nagios file you need to restart the nagios service:
#---
service nagios restart
#---

Start the services:
#---
service httpd start
service nagios start
#---

Set services to run automatically:
#---
chkconfig --level 345 httpd on
chkconfig --level 345 nagios on
#---

Try to access the home-page:
http://127.0.0.1/nagios/
or
http://127.0.0.1/nagios/index.php

Note: This is VERY important to notice that it is NOT localhost but 127.0.0.1. You can change it on http-nagios file.
Troubleshooting: If have any problem look at error_log file and check if the user is actually on the pass_nagios file.

Mounting former LUKS partition

2010-05-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

To mount existing LUKS partitions in your disk:

#---
REAL_DEVICE="/dev/<like sda5>"
MOUNTING_POINT="<Where in the disk, like /home>"
FSTYPE="<someting like ext4>"
UUID=`cryptsetup luksUUID ${REAL_DEVICE}`
LUKS_DEVICE="luks-${UUID}"
cryptsetup luksOpen ${REAL DEVICE} ${LUKS_DEVICE}
mount /dev/mapper/${LUKS_DEVICE} ${MOUNTING_POINT}
echo "/dev/mapper/${LUKS_DEVICE} ${MOUNTING_POINT} defaults 1 3" >> /etc/fstab
#---

[updated] My Fedora 13 road map

2010-05-26T13:25:00.001-07:00

- If you have had problems with automatically mounting LUKS partition, see my post addressing the issue here

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---
-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm
#---
-- Adobe (flash plugin)
#---
rpm -Uvhi http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-i386-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
#---

-- Adobe Flash for 64bits:
1. go to http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html
2. download the latest version for linux (a tar.gz file)
2.1. for me it was: http://download.macromedia.com/pub/labs/flashplayer10/flashplayer10_1_rc6_linux_052510.tar.gz
3. install it:
#---
tar -vxzf <file.tar.gz> -C /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/
#---
4. restart browser
5. check if it is working: about:plugins

-- JPackage:

#---
wget http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage17.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo
#---

-- Chromium:

#---
wget http://repos.fedorapeople.org/repos/spot/chromium/fedora-chromium.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/fedora-chromium.repo
#---

--- Edit the /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo file:

If you want to work with J2EE, JBoss, and such change it to the following:
[jpackage-generic]
name=JPackage (free), generic
mirrorlist=http://www.jpackage.org/mirrorlist.php?dist=generic&type=free&release=5.0
failovermethod=priority
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage.asc
enabled=1

-- Setting up a not-so-restricting SELinux: here

[update: remove before installing, thanks to a reader comment]
-- Remove things I do NOT like (do not remove xine if you prefer KDE):

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:

-- Chromium:
#---
yum -y install \
chromium
#---

-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
alsa-tools \
alsamixergui \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree
#---

Because Adobe Reader is usually very slow to download, I keep it separated and leave it to be last installed.
#---
yum -y install \
AdobeReader_enu
#---

-- Spell-checking
--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
hunspell-de \
hunspell-es \
hunspell-pt
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins
#---

--- Turn SpamAssassin on (if you use it to filter your emails):
#---
chkconfig --level 345 spamassassin on
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme \
xmms2 \
xmms2-avcodec \
xmms2-faad \
xmms2-freeworld \
xmms2-mp4 \
xmms2-nonfree
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
pidgin-gfire \
pidgin-musictracker \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms \
purple-facebookchat \
purple-microblog \
purple-msn-pecan
#---

--- If you use LaTeX you may find this plugin appealing:
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin-latex
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

--- For 64bit or old processors (non-PAE)
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc

--- Backups with Back In Time:
#---
yum -y install \
backintime-common \
backintime-gnome
#---

--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
ImageMagick \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
xpdf \
gnuplot \
inkscape \
grace
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
ctags \
kile \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- Administration related programs
#---
yum -y install \
telnet \
lsof \
nmap \
nc \
traceroute \
mc \
tsclient \
AcetoneISO2 \
rdesktop
#---

--- Very nice "must-have" admin programs:
#---
yum -y install \
keepassx \
system-config-display \
gnome-password-generator
#---

--- For WLAN Cracking
#---
yum -y install \
aircrack-ng \
airsnort
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
akmod-nvidia \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---

-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
#Driver "nouveau"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- Some helper programs
#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Debug related programs
#---
yum -y install \
gdb \
gcc \
strace \
ltrace
#---

--- Java support:
#---
yum -y install \
gcc-java \
java-1.6.0-openjdk \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-plugin \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-javadoc \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src \
java-1.5.0-gcj \
java-1.5.0-gcj-devel \
java-1.5.0-gcj-javadoc \
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
#---

--- JBoss support:
#---
yum -y install \
jbossas
#---

--- NetBeans:
#---
yum -y install \
netbeans
#---

--- Eclipse for Java:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-platform \
eclipse-ecj \
eclipse-jdt \
eclipse-cvs-client \
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn
#---

--- For GIT support:
#---
yum -y install \
git-all
#---

#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-subclipse \
eclipse-subclipse-book
#---

--- For C++ development:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-cdt
#---

--- Mylyn plugin:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-mylyn \
eclipse-mylyn-ide \
eclipse-mylyn-java \
eclipse-mylyn-bugzilla \
eclipse-mylyn-trac
#---

A note on the docs, you will find them in:

/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.5.0-gcj/
/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.6.0-openjdk/

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse
-- NetBeans

- For a better experience when installing third-part software from Danger Mouse:
#---
rpm -Uvh http://dnmouse.org/autoten-4.6-4.fc13.noarch.rpm
#---

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
-- Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:
-- Skype may need some extra configuration (see link for 64bits) and some SELinux relaxation (see link for SELinux).

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:
- Installing Skype in 64bits (external link)
- Mounting former LUKS partition
- SELinux
- Road map for Fedora 12
- Making USB to work with VirtualBox (external link)
- Adding security to SSH
- Backups with Back In Time

[updated] JsUnit and Firefox mysterious timeout

2010-04-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here is the thing. I was trying to get my JsUnit Tests to work using Firefox 3.x and it wont work no matter what.

[UPDATE] (Thank you Kevin, see comments)
Before you start using JsUnit you NEED to keep in mind that ALL inputs must be FULL qualified and not just relative paths.
[UPDATE]

I kept on getting timeout from the Runner. I use the runner locally rather than letting it be o server mode or even on my Apache config. So here is my test environment:

1. Software:
1.1. Firefox 3.6.2 (but the same happens on 3.x)
1.2. JsUnit 2.2
1.3. OS: Fedora 12

2. Run the JsUnit TestRunner locally, like: file:///var/local/jsunit/testRunner.html
3. Inform a local html test page, like: file:///home/gustavo/projects/jsunit-tsts/failingTest.html (which is a copy of $JSUNIT_HOME/tests/failingTest.html, setting the path to jsUnitCore.js correctly)
4. Hit Run

Then I got:

Reading Test Page file:///home/gustavo/projects/jsunit-tsts/failingTest.html timed out.
Make sure that the file exists and is a Test Page.

It does not make any sense, since running the same test from JsUnit it works: file:///var/local/jsunit/tests/failingTest.html

So I Google it and found this page: http://siliconforks.com/jscoverage/faq.html (oddly enough).

The answer is: Firefox has a very strict policy about accessing local files, thus preventing JsUnit TestRunner to run my tests.

Solution:

1. Go to your configuration page: about:config
2. Search for: security.fileuri.strict_origin_policy
3. And set it to FALSE

NOTE: This presents a security problem, so do yourself a favour and get another Firefox profile to run your tests and not to browse.

Now the tricky part: I like organizing and this means that I want to use Test Suites and modularize my tests. But the documentation does not tell you a very dirty story about that: You need full path when running tests like I do (local file URLs) and thus the relative paths do not work properly. Lets go to the example:

The test suite page snippet:

<script type="text/javascript">

function suite() {

var result = new top.jsUnitTestSuite();
var currentURL = location.href;


currentURL = currentURL.substr(0, currentURL.lastIndexOf("/", currentURL.length));


result.addTestPage(currentURL + "/html_tst/my_tests.html");

return result;
}
</script>

The tree structure:

SOME WHERE IN YOUR DISK:
testSuite.html
html_tst/my_tests.html

If you do not fully qualify the test page path (the currentURL part) you get a time-out when trying to load the test suite with the sub-pages.

Have fun!

Installing Atlassian FishEye and Crucible

2010-03-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Here I will explain how to install another Atlassian tool, the Fisheye (v2.2.1) (see the previous post for more about JIRA and Confluence). This documentation is based on the original guide, which I recommend you to read:

http://confluence.atlassian.com/display/FISHEYE/FishEye+Installation+Guide

1. First you need to download it. You can go to the download page: http://www.atlassian.com/software/fisheye/FishEyeDownloadCenter.jspa or get it with:

#---
wget http://www.atlassian.com/software/fisheye/downloads/binary/fisheye-2.2.1.zip
#---

I will assume that you already done the first steps from the JIRA and Confluence installation guide (MySQL + Tomcat) and that you have a running SVN server (see installation here). It is also assumed that you already enrolled a license for FishEye and Crucible. Have it handy.

2. To install FishEye you need to decompress the archive file:
#---
unzip fisheye-2.2.1.zip -d /usr/local/
#---

3. You need to create the database for FishEye and Crucible (I assume that the daemon is running):
#---
mysql -u root -p
#---

4. At the MySQL shell:
#---
CREATE DATABASE fisheyedb CHARACTER SET utf8;
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,DROP,ALTER,INDEX,LOCK TABLES ON fisheyedb.* TO 'fisheyeuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
\q
#---

5. Check if you can access the databases:
#---
mysql \--user=fisheyeuser \--password= \--database=fisheyedb
#---

6. Then prepare for running:
#---
export FISHEYE_HOME="/usr/local/fecru-2.2.1/"
mkdir -p /var/local/atlassian/fisheye
export FISHEYE_INST="/var/local/atlassian/fisheye"
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/"
export JRE_HOME="/usr/java/default/jre/"
cp $FISHEYE_HOME/config.xml $FISHEYE_INST/
cd $FISHEYE_HOME/bin
./run.sh
#---

6.1. Wait until the server is up an than go to: http://localhost:8060/

7. Go directly to the Database Configuration and provide the following fields with the following data:

Type: MySQL
URL: jdbc:mysql://localhost/fisheyedb
User Name: fisheyeuser
Password: <plain text pass for fisheyeuser>

Hit "Test Connection" and than "Save & Migrate"

8. Go to Users and add a user putting it as administrator (in Administrators)

9. Add a user to your JIRA Server, if you have one: http://localhost:8080/jira

10. Set JIRA to accept API remote calls:
Administration -> General Configuration -> Accept remote API calls (must be ON)

11. Then return to FishEye and configure your JIRA server with the corresponding user. (You have to have at least one project).

12. Add a user in SVN by editing the files (for the very crude installation): [/var/svn/<repository>/conf/passwd]

13. Then return to FishEye and configure your SVN repository: svn://localhost/var/svn/<project>

P.S.: You may need to add an additional rule to your IPtables in the file [/etc/sysconfig/iptables]:

...
# Tomcat (FishEye)
-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 8060 -j ACCEPT
...

#---
service iptables restart
#---

Related posts:
JIRA and Confluence instalation: http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2010/03/jira-and-confluence.html
SVN instalation: http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2009/07/subversion-and-apache-with-pam.html

Postfix + Cyrus SASL + TLS

2010-03-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Setting up Postfix as a relay:

A. Postfix basic configuration:

1. You need to install Posftix and Cyrus for authentication (you definitely do not want an open relay).
#---
yum -y install \
postfix \
cyrus-sasl \
cyrus-sasl-lib \
cyrus-sasl-md5 \
cyrus-sasl-ntlm \
cyrus-sasl-plain
#---

1.1. If you want Postfix, remove sendmail.
#---
yum -y remove \
sendmail
#---

2. Edit your IPtables configuration file and add the following line (you will change it when we are done) to the file [/etc/sysconfig/iptables]:

-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 25 --source 127.0.0.1 -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 587 --source 127.0.0.1 -j ACCEPT

3. Restart Postfix and check if you can access it:
#---
service postfix restart
telnet 127.0.0.1 25
#---

3.1. You must become something like this:
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to 127.0.0.1.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 note ESMTP Postfix

4. Configuring Postfix for relay:
#---
postconf -e 'smtpd_recipient_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated,permit_mynetworks,reject_unauth_destination'
service postfix reload
#---

4.1. This has the same effect as adding the parameter directly to [/etc/postfix/main.cf].

5. Set your relay host:
#---
postconf -e 'relayhost ='
postconf -e 'myhostname = <your mail server, such as mx.yourdomain.com>'
service postfix reload
#---

5.1. Check if you can send emails:

5.2. On the telnet prompt give the following commands, but on another terminal keep track of the file [/var/log/maillog]

5.2.1. Terminal A:
#---
tail -f /var/log/maillog
#---

5.2.2. Terminal B:
#---
telnet 127.0.0.1 25

EHLO localhost
MAIL FROM: root@localhost
RCPT TO: <some external valid email>
DATA
Subject:Test mail

Testing email relay
.
QUIT

#---

5.2.3. It should come something like this by Terminal A:
Mar 20 16:59:43 note postfix/smtpd[8705]: connect from localhost[127.0.0.1]
Mar 20 16:59:50 note postfix/smtpd[8705]: improper command pipelining after HELO from localhost[127.0.0.1]
Mar 20 16:59:50 note postfix/smtpd[8705]: 6694A6AB62: client=localhost[127.0.0.1]
Mar 20 16:59:50 note postfix/cleanup[8722]: 6694A6AB62: message-id=<20100320195950.6694A6AB62@localhost>
Mar 20 16:59:50 note postfix/qmgr[8691]: 6694A6AB62: from=<root@localhost.localdomain>, size=376, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Mar 20 16:59:52 note postfix/smtpd[8705]: disconnect from localhost[127.0.0.1]
Mar 20 16:59:53 note postfix/smtp[8694]: 20C526AB51: to=<some external valid email>, relay=<external mail server>[<ip address>]:25, delay=1215, delays=1167/0.02/6.9/41, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (250 2.0.0 OK 1269115192 10si2969636yxe.131)
Mar 20 16:59:53 note postfix/qmgr[8691]: 20C526AB51: removed

Your email wont be delivered if the destination server checks if you are an actual registered mail exchanger (mx entry of your domain). But you may get lucky (for instance, google accepted my emails, even though it threw them in the Spam box).

6. If everything worked until this point you need to setup authentication (remember until here you are an open relay, even though you blocked external incoming connections via IPtables).

B. Prepare Postfix for using TLS.

NOTE: Because this documentation is "education"-purposed only I will skip the proper TLS configuration (this means that I'm skipping the certificate generation step) but you can easily get further information at: http://www.postfix.org/TLS_README.html

#---
postconf -e 'smtpd_tls_cert_file = none' # no CA signed file
postconf -e 'smtpd_tls_loglevel = 1' # get at least handshake logging
service postfix restart
#---

C. Setting Cyrus up as its authentication server:

NOTE: You have basically two authentication options: internal authentication (using local users) or external authentication (using an additional user/password database). I will approach the 'shadow' (internal authentication) and 'sasldb' (Cyrus built-in external authentication database). You may customize for your own needs, like LDAP, SQL (MySQL for instance), etc. But that is not my concern here.

C.1. Using the internal authentication (local users):

1. This is the simplest method and pretty straight forward. So first you create a local test user:
#---
adduser -b /tmp -s /sbin/nologin -c "Cyrus SASL authentication test account" -p tst smtptst
#---

2. Set SASL tu use local authentication by editing [/etc/sysconfig/saslauthd] and setting the MECH variable to shadow:

...
MECH=shadow
...

3. Restart and test if it is working:
#---
service saslauthd restart
testsaslauthd -u smtptst -p tst -s smtp
#---

You should get:
0: OK "Success."

C.2. Using 'sasldb' to authenticate users:

1. First and MOST important step: setup PAM at [/etc/pam.d/smtp]
#---
cat > /etc/pam.d/smtp << __END__
#%PAM-1.0
auth required pam_permit.so
account required pam_permit.so
session required pam_permit.so
password required pam_permit.so
__END__
#---

2. Set Cyrus to use PAM by editing [/etc/sysconfig/saslauthd] and setting the MECH variable to pam:

...
MECH=pam
...

3. Set Cyrus to use sasldb:
#---
cat > /usr/lib/sasl2/smtpd.conf << __END__
pwcheck_method: auxprop
auxprop_plugin: sasldb
mech_list: plain login cram-md5 digest-md5 ntlm
__END__
#---

3.1. To add a user to sasldb:
#---
## this one is for domain specific
saslpasswd2 -c -u <your domain> smtptst2
## this is for internal services that also send emails
saslpasswd2 -c smtptst2
#---

NOTE: for testing purposes I assume that you set the password to 'tst'

3.2. Check if it was included:
#---
sasldblistusers2 ## password will be substituted by the 'userPassword' string
#---

3.3. Set the right permissions:
#---
chmod 640 /etc/sasldb2
chown root:mail /etc/sasldb2
#---

4. Restart and test if it is working:
#---
service saslauthd restart
testsaslauthd -u smtptst2 -p tst -s smtp
#---

You should get:
0: OK "Success."

D. Setting Postfix up to enforce authentication using TLS through SASL:
#---
postconf -e 'myhostname = localhost' ## change for your actual hostname
postconf -e 'smtpd_client_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated,reject' ## some protection
postconf -e 'smtpd_sasl_type = cyrus' ## just be explicit about this
postconf -e 'smtpd_sasl_path = smtpd' ## just be explicit about this
postconf -e 'smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes' ## use authentication
postconf -e 'smtpd_sasl_authenticated_header = yes'
postconf -e 'smtpd_sasl_security_options = noanonymous' ## enforce authentication
postconf -e 'smtpd_sasl_tls_security_options = $smtpd_sasl_security_options'
postconf -e 'broken_sasl_auth_clients = yes' ## for Outlook
service postfix restart
#---

1. Testing everything together:
#---
telnet localhost 25
#---

1.1. Type:
EHLO localhost
AUTH LOGIN

Then enter the full qualified username encoded in base64:

1.1.1. Internal user:
#---
perl -MMIME::Base64 -e 'print encode_base64("smtptst\@localhost")'
#---

1.1.2. SASLDB user:
#---
perl -MMIME::Base64 -e 'print encode_base64("smtptst2\@localhost")'
#---

Then enter the password encoded in base64:
#---
perl -MMIME::Base64 -e 'print encode_base64("tst")'
#---

Then follow as usual:

MAIL FROM: smtptst@localhost
RCPT TO: <some external valid email>
DATA
Subject:Test mail

Testing email relay
.
QUIT

#---

1.2. It all should look like this:

telnet 0 25
Trying 0.0.0.0...
Connected to 0.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 localhost ESMTP Postfix
EHLO tst
250-localhost
250-PIPELINING
250-SIZE 10240000
250-VRFY
250-ETRN
250-AUTH NTLM PLAIN CRAM-MD5 DIGEST-MD5 LOGIN
250-AUTH=NTLM PLAIN CRAM-MD5 DIGEST-MD5 LOGIN
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-8BITMIME
250 DSN
AUTH LOGIN
334 VXNlcm5hbWU6
bXh1c2VyQGxvY2FsaG9zdA==
334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6
dHN0
235 2.7.0 Authentication successful
MAIL FROM: smtptst@localhost
250 2.1.0 Ok
RCPT TO: <some external valid email>
250 2.1.5 Ok
DATA
Subject:Test mail

Testing email relay
.
QUIT

354 End data with <CR><LF>.<CR><LF>
250 2.0.0 Ok: queued as 0C4B861845
221 2.0.0 Bye
Connection closed by foreign host.

2. Cleaning up:
#---
userdel smtptst
saslpasswd2 -d smtptst2
#---

3. Opening IPTables up at [/etc/sysconfig/iptables]:
-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 25 -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 587 -j ACCEPT

Relevant configuration files:
SASL: /usr/lib/sasl2/smtpd.conf
SASL user mapping: /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd
Postfix: /etc/postfix/main.cf
IPtables: /etc/sysconfig/iptables

Relevant log files:
Security/authentication related: /var/log/secure
Mail: /var/log/maillog
General process: /var/log/messages

Jira and Confluence - Backup

2010-03-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

This is a follow-up from my previous post about how to install and configure Jira and Confluence.

Backing everything up:

Create the backup directory:
#---
mkdir -p /var/local/atlassian-bkp/
chmod 750 /var/local/atlassian-bkp/
#---

Create the backup script:
#---
cat > /var/local/atlassian-bkp/atlassian_bkp.sh << __END__
#!/bin/sh
#
# Author: Gustavo Kuhn Andriotti
# Date: 2010.03.17
#

####
## Needed variables, you should edit only this
####

## general
BACKUP_DIR="/var/local/atlassian-bkp/"
DATE=\`date --utc +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S\`
LOG_FILE="\${BACKUP_DIR}/bkp-\${DATE}.log"

## JIRA
JIRA_DIR="/var/local/atlassian/jira/"
JIRA_DB="jiradb"
JIRA_USER="jirauser"
JIRA_PASS=""
## Confluence
CONFLUENCE_DIR="/var/local/atlassian/confluence/"
CONFLUENCE_DB="confluencedb"
CONFLUENCE_USER="confluenceuser"
CONFLUENCE_PASS=""

## services
STOP_TOMCAT="Y"
STOP_MYSQL="N"

####
## Stop relevant services
## You may not want to do this
####

echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Starting backup" > \${LOG_FILE}

## tomcat
if [ "Y" == \${STOP_TOMCAT} ]
then
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Stopping Tomcat" >> \${LOG_FILE}
service tomcat5 stop
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Tomcat stopped" >> \${LOG_FILE}
fi
## mysql
if [ "Y" == \${STOP_MYSQL} ]
then
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Stopping MySQL" >> \${LOG_FILE}
service mysqld stop
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" MySQL Stopped" >> \${LOG_FILE}
fi

####
## Backup databases
####

## General
mkdir -p \${BACKUP_DIR}

## JIRA
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Backing the JIRA database up" >> \${LOG_FILE}
BKP_FILE="\${BACKUP_DIR}/\${JIRA_DB}-\${DATE}.gz"
mysqldump -B \${JIRA_DB} -u \${JIRA_USER} -p\${JIRA_PASS} | gzip -c - > \${BKP_FILE}
chmod 400 \${BKP_FILE}
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" JIRA database backed up at: \${BKP_FILE}" >> \${LOG_FILE}

## CONFLUENCE
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Backing the Confluence database up" >> \${LOG_FILE}
BKP_FILE="\${BACKUP_DIR}/\${CONFLUENCE_DB}-\${DATE}.gz"
mysqldump -B \${CONFLUENCE_DB} -u \${CONFLUENCE_USER} -p\${CONFLUENCE_PASS} | gzip -c - > \${BKP_FILE}
chmod 400 \${BKP_FILE}
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Confluence database backed up at: \${BKP_FILE}" >> \${LOG_FILE}

####
## Backup files
####

## JIRA
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Backing the JIRA files up" >> \${LOG_FILE}
BKP_FILE="\${BACKUP_DIR}/\`basename \${JIRA_DIR}\`-\${DATE}.tgz"
tar -czf \${BKP_FILE} \${JIRA_DIR}
chmod 400 \${BKP_FILE}
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" JIRA files backed up at: \${BKP_FILE}" >> \${LOG_FILE}

## Confluence
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Backing the Confluence files up" >> \${LOG_FILE}
BKP_FILE="\${BACKUP_DIR}/\`basename \${CONFLUENCE_DIR}\`-\${DATE}.tgz"
tar -czf \${BKP_FILE} \${CONFLUENCE_DIR}
chmod 400 \${BKP_FILE}
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Confluence files backed up at: \${BKP_FILE}" >> \${LOG_FILE}

####
## Start services if they were stopped
####

## mysql
if [ "Y" == \${STOP_MYSQL} ]
then
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Starting MySQL" >> \${LOG_FILE}
service mysqld start
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" MySQL Started" >> \${LOG_FILE}
fi

## tomcat
if [ "Y" == \${STOP_TOMCAT} ]
then
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Starting Tomcat" >> \${LOG_FILE}
rm -f \${JIRA_DIR}/.jira-home.lock
service tomcat5 start
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Tomcat started" >> \${LOG_FILE}
fi

####
## Done
####
echo \`date --utc +%Y.%m.%d\ %H:%M:%S\`" Backup done!" >> \${LOG_FILE}
__END__
chmod 750 /var/local/atlassian-bkp/atlassian_bkp.sh
#---

NOTE: DO edit the resulting file: /var/local/atlassian-bkp/atlassian_bkp.sh to put the correct passwords for the database users.

It will store all backups at /var/local/atlassian-bkp/ and a typical backup will have a file list as follows:

-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 3112 2010-03-17 19:32 atlassian_bkp.sh
-rw-r--r--. 1 root root 796 2010-03-17 19:32 bkp-20100317-223145.log
-r--------. 1 root root 181902319 2010-03-17 19:32 confluence-20100317-223145.tgz
-r--------. 1 root root 8572 2010-03-17 19:31 confluencedb-20100317-223145.gz
-r--------. 1 root root 79531583 2010-03-17 19:31 jira-20100317-223145.tgz
-r--------. 1 root root 15302 2010-03-17 19:31 jiradb-20100317-223145.gz

Test the script:
#---
sh -x /var/local/atlassian-bkp/atlassian_bkp.sh
#---

Put the script in the crontab (daily):
#---
ln /var/local/atlassian-bkp/atlassian_bkp.sh /etc/cron.daily/atlassian
#---

Notice that it is a HARD link to the cron.daily, so that when you edit the original file it also reflects a change at the crontab.

BUT to remove the file completely you MUST remove from BOTH locations:
#---
rm -f /var/local/atlassian-bkp/atlassian_bkp.sh
rm -f /etc/cron.daily/atlassian
#---

Checkout if the starting time is okay for you (the standard is 03:00):
#---
cat /etc/anacrontab
#---

Related posts:
Installation and configuration: http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2010/03/jira-and-confluence.html

[UPDATE] Jira and Confluence

2010-03-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

I will not explain what are Jira (v4.0.2) and Confluence (v3.1.2) (read at their corresponding description) but how to put both of them to run in a Fedora box using MySQL and Tomcat v5.5 (just one).

This procedure is based on the original documentation (given below) and when in doubt please DO read the originals.

Jira: http://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/Installing+JIRA+on+Tomcat+5.5
Confluence: http://confluence.atlassian.com/display/DOC/Installing+Confluence+EAR-WAR+on+Tomcat

NOTE: Before you start installing please do get it handy both licenses. I will also assume that you already downloaded both programs in the WAR/EAR form. This is *VERY* important because you do *NOT* want the standalone versions. The links are provided here: Jira v4.0.2 and Confluence v3.1.2.

Or:
#---
wget http://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/downloads/binary/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2.tar.gz
wget http://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence/downloads/binary/confluence-3.1.2.tar.gz
#---

1. Install the necessary software:
#---
yum -y install \
mysql \
mysql-server \
mysql-connector-java \
javamail \
tomcat5
#---

2. Install Sun's JDK:
JDK: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/widget/jdk6.jsp

Get the some additional libs from Atlassian:
#---
wget http://confluence.atlassian.com/download/attachments/200709089/jira-jars-tomcat5.zip
#---

3. Put the necessary libs in the Tomcat lib dir:
#---
unzip jira-jars-tomcat5.zip -d /tmp/
mv /tmp/jira-jars-tomcat5/*.jar /var/lib/tomcat5/common/lib/
rm -rf /tmp/jira-jars-tomcat5/
unzip jaf-1_1_1.zip -d /tmp/
mv /tmp/jaf-1.1.1/activation.jar /var/lib/tomcat5/common/lib/
rm -rf /tmp/jaf-1.1.1/
ln -s /usr/share/java/mysql-connector-java-5.1.12.jar /var/lib/tomcat5/common/lib
ln -s /usr/share/java/javamail/mail-1.4.3.jar /var/lib/tomcat5/common/lib
ln -s /usr/share/java/javamail/dsn-1.4.3.jar /var/lib/tomcat5/common/lib
#---

4. Create a build directory for Jira and Confluence:
#---
mkdir -p /usr/local/atlassian/
tar -vxzf atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2.tar.gz -C /usr/local/atlassian/
tar -vxzf confluence-3.1.2.tar.gz -C /usr/local/atlassian/
#---

5. Create the home directory for Jira and Confluence:
#---
mkdir -p /var/local/atlassian/jira/
mkdir -p /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
#---

6. Forces Tomcat to use Sun's JRE by editing [/etc/tomcat5/tomcat5.conf] and setting the following variables:

JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/"
JRE_HOME="/usr/java/default/jre/"

Also add the following statements (do NOT remove the already existing ones, just ADD):

JAVA_OPTS="$JAVA_OPTS -Dorg.apache.jasper.runtime.BodyContentImpl.LIMIT_BUFFER=true -Dmail.mime.decodeparameters=true -Xms128m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m"

7. Prepare the MySQL:

You need to create the databases for Jira and Confluence:
#---
mysql -u root -p
#---

[UPDATE]At the MySQL shell:
#---
CREATE DATABASE jiradb CHARACTER SET utf8;
CREATE DATABASE confluencedb CHARACTER SET utf8;
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,DROP,ALTER,INDEX,LOCK TABLES ON jiradb.* TO 'jirauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '<plain text pass for jirauser>';
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,DROP,ALTER,INDEX,LOCK TABLES ON confluencedb.* TO 'confluenceuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '<plain text pass for confluenceuser>';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
\q
#---

Check if you can access the databases:
#---
mysql \--user=jirauser \--password=<plain text pass for jirauser> \--database=jiradb
#---

#---
mysql \--user=confluenceuser \--password=<plain text pass for confluenceuser> \--database=confluencedb
#---

8. Install Jira:

8.1. Set Jira to use MySQL in the file [/usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/edit-webapp/WEB-INF/classes/entityengine.xml]

Change from:
<datasource name="defaultDS" field-type-name="hsql"
schema-name="PUBLIC"

to:
<datasource name="defaultDS" field-type-name="mysql"

8.2. Set Jira home dir in the file: [/usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/edit-webapp/WEB-INF/classes/jira-application.properties]

It looks like this:
jira.home = /var/local/atlassian/jira/

8.3. Compile Jira:
#---
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/"
cd /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/
rm -f /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/webapp/WEB-INF/lib/{activation-1.1.1.jar,mail-1.4.1.jar}
sh ./build.sh
rm -f /var/local/atlassian/jira/atlassian-jira-4.0.2.war
cp /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/dist-tomcat/atlassian-jira-4.0.2.war /var/local/atlassian/jira/
cp /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/dist-tomcat/tomcat-5.5/jira.xml /etc/tomcat5/Catalina/localhost/
chown -R tomcat:tomcat /var/local/atlassian/jira/
chmod 755 /var/local/atlassian/jira/
chmod -R ug+rw /var/local/atlassian/jira/
chmod -R o+r /var/local/atlassian/jira/
chmod -R o-w /var/local/atlassian/jira/
#---

8.4. Setup the Jira application to use MySQL in file [/etc/tomcat5/Catalina/localhost/jira.xml]

The resource section must look like this:
<Context path="/jira" docBase="/var/local/atlassian/jira/atlassian-jira-4.0.2.war" debug="0">
...
<Resource name="jdbc/JiraDS" auth="Container" type="javax.sql.DataSource"
username="jirauser"
password="<plain text pass for jirauser>"
driverClassName="com.mysql.jdbc.Driver"
url="jdbc:mysql://localhost/jiradb?autoReconnect=true&sessionVariables=storage_engine=InnoDB&useUnicode=true&characterEncoding=UTF8"/>

If a complementary build is necessary try this shorter form:
#---
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/"
cd /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/
rm -f /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/webapp/WEB-INF/lib/{activation-1.1.1.jar,mail-1.4.1.jar}
sh ./build.sh
rm -f /var/local/atlassian/jira/atlassian-jira-4.0.2.war
cp /usr/local/atlassian/atlassian-jira-enterprise-4.0.2/dist-tomcat/atlassian-jira-4.0.2.war /var/local/atlassian/jira/
chown tomcat:tomcat /var/local/atlassian/jira/atlassian-jira-4.0.2.war
#---

8.5. Checking it out if Jira is working:
#---
service mysqld restart
service tomcat5 restart
#---

Go to: http://localhost:8080/jira/

9. Install Confluence:

9.1. Set Confluence home dir in the file: [/usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/confluence/WEB-INF/classes/confluence-init.properties]

It looks like this:
confluence.home = /var/local/atlassian/confluence

9.2. Compile Confluence:
#---
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/"
cd /usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/
rm -f /usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/confluence/WEB-INF/lib/{activation-1.0.2.jar,mail-1.4.1.jar}
sh ./build.sh
rm -f /var/local/atlassian/confluence/confluence-3.1.2.war
cp /usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/dist/confluence-3.1.2.war /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
cat > /etc/tomcat5/Catalina/localhost/confluence.xml << __END__
<Context path="/confluence" docBase="/var/local/atlassian/confluence/confluence-3.1.2.war" debug="0" reloadable="true">
</Context>
__END__
chown -R tomcat:tomcat /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
chmod 755 /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
chmod -R ug+rw /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
chmod -R o+r /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
chmod -R o-w /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
#---

Shorter version for recompile:
#---
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/"
cd /usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/
rm -f /usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/confluence/WEB-INF/lib/{activation-1.0.2.jar,mail-1.4.1.jar}
sh ./build.sh
rm -f /var/local/atlassian/confluence/confluence-3.1.2.war
cp /usr/local/atlassian/confluence-3.1.2/dist/confluence-3.1.2.war /var/local/atlassian/confluence/
chown tomcat:tomcat /var/local/atlassian/confluence/confluence-3.1.2.war
#---

9.3. Checking it out if Confluence is working:
#---
service mysqld restart
service tomcat5 restart
#---

Go to: http://localhost:8080/confluence/

Setting up Confluence (at http://localhost:8080/confluence/)

9.4. Enter the key and go to Custom Installation

9.5. At External Database choose MySQL and click at External Database >>

At Configure Database choose Direct JDBC >>

9.6. For the Database configuration fill with the following:

Driver Class Name: com.mysql.jdbc.Driver
Database URL: jdbc:mysql://localhost/confluencedb?autoReconnect=true&sessionVariables=storage_engine=InnoDB&useUnicode=true&characterEncoding=UTF8
User Name: confluenceuser
Password: <plain text pass for confluenceuser>

The rest is straight forward.

P.S.: You may want to change your MySQL maximum allowed packet size to allow plugin installation (which normally requires more than the default 1Mb size). Edit the file [/etc/my.cnf] and put the following line (or change it) to:
...
[mysqld]
...
max_allowed_packet = 16M

Important logs for trouble shooting:
System: /var/log/messages
Tomcat: /var/log/tomcat5/catalina.out
MySQL: /var/log/mysqld.log
Jira: /var/log/tomcat5/catalina.out (all gets thrown at the Tomcat log)
Confluence: /var/local/atlassian/confluence/logs/atlassian-confluence.log
Jira database config: /etc/tomcat5/Catalina/localhost/jira.xml
Confluence database config: /var/local/atlassian/confluence/confluence.cfg.xml

Related posts:
Jira and Confluence Backup: http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2010/03/jira-and-confluence-backup.html
Fedora 12 Road Map: http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-fedora-12-road-map.html
MySQL root password reset: http://gka-linux.blogspot.com/2010/03/mysql-root-password-reset.html

MySQL root password reset

2010-03-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

This is rather annoying, so here is the complete procedure:

Get MySQL to be in the safe mode:
#---
service mysqld stop
mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &
#---

Start the MySQL shell:
#---
mysql -u root
#---

At the MySQL shell (this is NOT safe):
USE mysql;
UPDATE user SET PASSWORD=PASSWORD("<plain text root password for mysql>") WHERE User='root';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
FLUSH TABLES;
\q

Back at the root shell:
#---
kill `cat /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid`
service mysqld start
#---

NOTE: MySQL records its shell commands at ~/.mysql_history This means that
your passwords (informed as I shown you) are recorded in plain text at this
file. It is advised to remove this file after applying the commands above
displayed:
#---
rm -f ~/.msyql_history
#---

Java and Firefox 3.6

2010-02-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

Well it is not an issue for Fedora 12 (yet) but here is how it must be done to get Java working with Firefox 3.6:

#---
ln -s /usr/java/default/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
#---

You need java 1.6u10 or higher.

Some Fedora 12 issues

2009-12-07T11:58:00.001-08:00

There are some issues with Fedora 12 and some workarounds:

- Eclipse:
-- Problem:
Some buttons, specially OK and Finish, are not responding to the mouse click. You need to focus the button (mouse over it, for instance) and then press ENTER.

-- Solution (first attempt):
You need to override an environment variable and then execute eclipse:

#---
GDK_NATIVE_WINDOWS=true eclipse
#---

-- Solution (for desktop laucher):

Create the following script and add it as the launcher command:

#---
cat > ~/bin/eclipse.sh << __END__
GDK_NATIVE_WINDOWS=true eclipse
__END__
chmod 755 ~/bin/eclipse.sh
#---

Source: http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?s=a3c988d542abeeb3b04991ab5c12070d&p=1301362#post1301362

My Fedora 12 road map

2009-12-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

- Basic system setup
-- Adjust [/etc/resolv.conf]
-- Adjust [/etc/fstab]
-- Adjust [/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0]

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
-- Adobe (flash plugin)

-- JPackage:

#---
wget http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage17.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo
#---

-- Chromium:

#---
cat > /etc/yum.repos.d/chromium.repo << __END__
[chromium]
name=Chromium Test Packages
baseurl=http://spot.fedorapeople.org/chromium/F\$releasever/
enabled=1
gpgcheck=0
__END__
#---

--- Edit the /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo file:

If you want to work with J2EE, JBoss, and such change it to the following:
[jpackage-generic]
name=JPackage (free), generic
mirrorlist=http://www.jpackage.org/mirrorlist.php?dist=generic&type=free&release=5.0
failovermethod=priority
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage.asc
enabled=1

[update: remove before installing, thanks to a reader comment]
-- Remove things I do NOT like (do not remove xine if you prefer KDE):

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:

-- Chromium:
#---
yum -y install \
chromium
#---

-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
alsa-tools \
alsamixergui \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree
#---

Because Adobe Reader is usually very slow to download, I keep it separated and leave it to be last installed.
#---
yum -y install \
AdobeReader_enu
#---

-- Torrent with transmission
#---
yum -y install \
transmission
#---

-- Spell-checking
#---
yum -y install \
hunspell \
gtkspell \
hunspell-en
#---

--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
hunspell-de \
hunspell-es \
hunspell-pt
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
bogofilter \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme \
xmms2 \
xmms2-avcodec \
xmms2-faad \
xmms2-freeworld \
xmms2-mp4 \
xmms2-nonfree
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
pidgin-gfire \
pidgin-latex \
pidgin-musictracker \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms \
purple-facebookchat \
purple-microblog \
purple-msn-pecan
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

--- For old processors (non-PAE)
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc
--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
ImageMagick \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
xpdf \
eog \
gnuplot \
inkscape \
grace
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
kile \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- Administration related programs
#---
yum -y install \
telnet \
lsof \
nmap \
nc \
traceroute \
mc \
tsclient \
rdesktop
#---

--- Very nice "must-have" admin programs:
#---
yum -y install \
keepassx \ # I'm not that found of this one
system-config-display \ # does not come by default
gnome-password-generator # very nice gui for generating new passwords
#---

--- For WLAN Cracking
#---
yum -y install \
aircrack-ng \
airsnort
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---

-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- Some helper programs
#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Debug related programs
#---
yum -y install \
gdb \
gcc \
strace \
ltrace
#---

--- Java support:
#---
yum -y install \
gcc-java \
java-1.6.0-openjdk \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-plugin \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-javadoc \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src \
java-1.5.0-gcj \
java-1.5.0-gcj-devel \
java-1.5.0-gcj-javadoc \
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
#---

--- JBoss support:
#---
yum -y install \
jbossas
#---

--- Eclipse for Java:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-platform \
eclipse-ecj \
eclipse-jdt \
eclipse-cvs-client \
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn \
eclipse-subclipse \
eclipse-subclipse-book
#---

--- For C++ development:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-cdt
#---

--- Mylyn plugin:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-mylyn \
eclipse-mylyn-ide \
eclipse-mylyn-java \
eclipse-mylyn-bugzilla \
eclipse-mylyn-trac
#---

A note on the docs, you will find them in:

/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.5.0-gcj/
/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.6.0-openjdk/

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:

- SELinux
- Road map for Fedora 11
- Making USB to work with VirtualBox (external link)
- Adding security to SSH

PHP and Eclipse

2009-09-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

This post is because I'm starting to program using PHP and I found no easy documentation explaining how to integrate PHP and Eclipse. I tried PDT (hated it) and Aptana and none of them actually solved my problem that was: an IDE with text highlight and a debugger. Aptana is rather confusing (I couldn't figure it out how to start a server and connect my php to it) and PDT is kind of messy.

The best I could find was a reference at Drupal documentation: http://drupal.org/node/75242#PHPeclipse. The link is http://www.phpeclipse.com/wiki/Howto/XDebugAndPHPEclipse. This was an almost complete documentation and helped me to get the job done.

First of all, the PHPEclipse editor is the best. It actually highlights PHP files, even though they do not possess a ".php" extension. (The other editors just cann't tackle this fairly easy task.) And it is really easy to debug your code (there is a catch nonetheless) and start playing around. For this documentation I will not repeat things that are already documented, so you will need to have the documentation below opened:

http://www.phpeclipse.com/wiki/Howto/XDebugAndPHPEclipse

1. Get Eclipse Galileo (the version that I have and in which this documentation is based on) at:

http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/

2. Install Subclipse plugin (for SVN):

Eclipse update site:
http://subclipse.tigris.org/update_1.6.x

3. Install PHPEclipse plugin:

Eclipse update site:

http://update.phpeclipse.net/update/stable/1.2.x

3.1. It is VERY important that you disable the DBG plugin. See the "Special Note:" at http://www.phpeclipse.com/wiki/Howto/XDebugAndPHPEclipse

4. Install XDebug (not in Eclipse):

4.1. Get some additional packages:

#---
yum -y install \
php-devel
#---

4.2. Get XDebug source, configure, compile and install it:

#---
cd /tmp
wget http://www.xdebug.org/files/xdebug-2.0.5.tgz
tar -vxzf xdebug-2.0.5.tgz
cd xdebug-2.0.5
phpize
./configure --enable-xdebug
make
mkdir -p /opt/xdebug-2.0.5
cp /tmp/xdebug-2.0.5/modules/xdebug.so /opt/xdebug-2.0.5/
#---

Note: It will be installed at /opt/xdebug-2.0.5/

4.2. Configure the XDebug for the PHP:

#---
cat >> /etc/php.d/xdebug.ini << __END__
;
; Configuration taken from: http://www.phpeclipse.com/wiki/Howto/XDebugAndPHPEclipse
;
[xdebug]
; for non threaded php (debug and inside eclipse)
zend_extension="/opt/xdebug-2.0.5/xdebug.so"
; for threaded php (apache)
; zend_extension_ts="/opt/xdebug-2.0.5/xdebug.so"
xdebug.remote_enable=On
xdebug.remote_autostart=On
xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp
; change it if you want to debug from another server/workstation
xdebug.remote_host=127.0.0.1/32 192.168.0.0/16
xdebug.remote_port=9000
xdebug.remote_mode=req
__END__
#---

4.3. Configure your Apache to have an Alias to your workspace, but remember: you HAVE to give permission to the apache user to reach you workspace:

#---
chmod o+r ${HOME}
chmod -R o+r ${HOME}/<your workspace>
echo "Alias /dev \"${HOME}/<your workspace>/<your php project name>\"" > /etc/httpd/conf.d/php-dev.conf
service httpd restart
#---

5. Configure Eclipse to use XDebug:

Follow http://www.phpeclipse.com/wiki/Howto/XDebugAndPHPEclipse from "Test Project" section to the end.

Note: The URL for your project will be: http://localhost/dev/<your PHP file in your workspace>

Note2: When you launch a debug (in Eclipse) you have to switch to the Debug Perspective manually (that is the catch that I mentioned).

Note3: At the "pathmap" configuration (for the PHP XDebug Remote Script) you will use: /home/<your username>/<your workspace>/<your php project name> in both fields (this is due to the fact that you are running the http server locally and using an Alias).

[updated] GnuPG: PGP under Linux

2009-08-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

Install the gnupg:

#---
yum - y install \
gnupg2
#---

To generate a key:

#---
gpg2 --gen-key
#---

To export the public key:

#---
gpg2 -a -o pubkey.asc --export <your email>
#---

To export your private key (for backup purposes only, NOT recommended):

#---
gpg2 -a -o privkey.asc --export-secret-keys <your email>
#---

To import a public key:

#---
gpg2 --import <pubkey file>
#---

To sign a key:

#---
gpg2 --sign-key <key email address>
#---

To encrypt a file, in ASCII mode:

#---
gpg2 -a -o <output file>.asc -r <your email> [-r <recipient's email>] -e <file to encrypt>
#---

To decrypt a file:

#---
gpg2 -o <output file> -d <input file>
#---

If you don't like command line you can try two GUIs:

#---
yum -y install \
kdeutils \
gpa
#---

NOTE: KDEUtils comes with KGpg which is the best among the two.

[update]

A reader (see his comment below) drove my attention a missing point: "how to import secret keys to GnuPG?" the answer is: use the old GnuPG for it:

#---
yum -y install \
gnupg
#---

To import secret keys:

#---
gpg --import <key file>
#---

Sorry, about the "hackerish" part, but it works.

PGP for Windows users

2009-08-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

PGP for Windows:

1. Go to http://www.pgp.com/downloads/desktoptrial/desktoptrial2.html check the box at the bottom of the page and hit "Accept"
2. Fill up the form
3. Hit the Windows XP button and wait for the download link

NOTE: Because you will use the trial version, which will switch to the freeware featured version after 30 days, be aware that only the basic features will remain active. From the agreement form you get:

What functionality continues after 30 days?
The following limited functionality (equivalent to prior versions of PGP Freeware) will continue after the initial 30-day period:

At the end of the trial period, any local disks that have been encrypted using PGP Whole Disk Encryption will automatically decrypt.

PGP file encryption and signing, PGP Zip, “Current Window”, and “Clipboard” functionality will continue to allow encryption, and you will still be able to use the decryption capabilities for all PGP Desktop Trial product functions, thus ensuring that any encrypted data remains accessible.

Installation and configuration (requires a restart at the end of the installation process):

It is pretty straight forward, but you can follow the instructions received with the download link. I'm not going to show how, but some attention must be given to the following points:

Generate your key as the pictures show, if you are concerned with Linux GnuPG compatibility, some encryption algorithms are copyright protected and are not implemented in GnuPG.

To import keys:

1. Open the PGP Desktop: Start -> PGP -> PGP Dektop
2. On PGP Desktop: Menu File -> Import...
3. Select the key file(s)
4. When the keys are on the key list, select all of them
5. Sign them: Menu Keys -> Sign...

To put on your Master Keyring:

1. Open the PGP Desktop: Start -> PGP -> PGP Dektop
2. Select one key (you need to do it "keywise", only one at a time) and: Menu Keys -> Add to Master Keys

To export your public key:

1. Open the PGP Desktop: Start -> PGP -> PGP Dektop
2. Select your key
3. Menu File -> Export -> Key...

NOTE: Do NOT check the "Include Private Key(s)" field.

To encrypt a file:

Right mouse button at the file and: PGP Desktop -> Encrypt to Master Keys...

SSH in a more secure way

2009-08-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

SSH is a wonderful tool, I cann't praise it enough. But as all powerful tools it requires special attention to its use. In this post I want to put good recommendations into action. The guidelines are:

1. No "root" direct access;
2. Only ONE user should have remote access to the system AND "su" rights;
3. All users with full featured shells, except for the one with "su" rights, should NOT have remote access granted (you can always become any user with the access user);
4. All other users that MUST have remote access MUST have restricted shells, like "rbash".

A. The SSH server configuration at: /etc/ssh/sshd_config

(below are the excerpt from the file whose change are recommended)

# This is the default, but it is important to keep it explicit
Port 22
# If you have several interfaces it may be good to force the access to be from a specific network interface/address or mask, this is your server IP address or IP masked range.
# using 192.168.0.0 will NOT grant access to someone addressing your server outside the 192.168.X.X range.
ListenAddress 0.0.0.0
# Enforce the use of ONLY the version 2
Protocol 2
# Turns root remote access off
PermitRootLogin no
# Will log authentication failures when half the amount is tried: it does NOT block access JUST logs failures
MaxAuthTries 4
# If your clients are not behind a proxy it is wise to restrict the amount of open sessions that a single host can make to your machine
MaxSessions 4
# This can be a security issue. Suit yourself (I need it for CruiseControl)
PubkeyAuthentication yes
AuthorizedKeysFile .ssh/authorized_keys
# I really like PAM
UsePAM yes
# This can be really annoying if you have several users trying to connect simultaneously, but it helps to prevent brute-force attacks to your server, keep it low.
MaxStartups 2

B. The PAM setup at: /etc/pam.d/sshd

(add the following line)

auth required pam_listfile.so item=user sense=allow file=/etc/sshd/sshd.allow onerr=fail

This line tells PAM to look for the file /etc/sshd/sshd.allow for the users that are ALLOWED to access your server through SSH. This file should contain only the users that REALLY need direct remote access.

#---
cat > /etc/ssh/sshd.allow << __END__
SU_user
rbash_user
__END__
chown root:root /etc/ssh/sshd.allow
chmod 400 /etc/ssh/sshd.allow
#---

C. The IPTABLES part at: /etc/sysconfig/iptables

(Add or modify the following line):

-A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT

D. Restart the servers:

#---
service sshd restart
service iptables restart
#---

Have fun!!!

Reference:

http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/linux-pam-configuration-that-allows-or-deny-login-via-the-sshd-server.html

[updated] CruiseControl: Config

2009-08-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

Before following this post you need an SVN server (post here) and a CruiseControl server (post here and here).

1. Create a special account, on the SVN server, for getting the source code from the CC server.

The objective here is to do something similar to what is described at http://svn.collab.net/repos/svn/trunk/notes/ssh-tricks

1.1. [SVN Server] On the SVN server:

1.1.1. Add two new SVN access accounts, but without shell access:

#---
useradd svn-ro
useradd svn-rw
usermod --lock svn-ro
usermod --lock svn-rw
#---

1.1.2. Verify if the SSH daemon is setup to accept public key authentication: /etc/ssh/sshd_config

It must have a line with:

PubkeyAuthentication yes

1.2. [CC Server] On the CC server:

1.2.1. Setup the key pair for the cruise user, to be used to authenticate at the SVN server (see documentation here):

a. Enter an EMPTY passphrase for the ssh key pair:

#---
mkdir ~cruise/.ssh
ssh-keygen -q -f ~cruise/.ssh/id_rsa -t rsa
#---

b. Let the user have access to own keys, but only this user:

#---
chmod -R go-rwx ~cruise/.ssh
chown -R cruise:cruise ~cruise/.ssh
#---

1.2.3. Copy the public key to the SVN server, at the svn-ro user home dir (remember that svn-ro user has no shell access, so do NOT try to transfer the key using the svn-ro account).

#---
scp ~cruise/.ssh/id_rsa.pub <user that HAS shell access in the SVN server>@<SVN server>:
#---

1.3. [SVN Server] Back at the SVN server:

1.3.1. Add the public key to the svn access user's (svn-ro) authorized key ring:

#---
mkdir -p ~svn-ro/.ssh/
mkdir -p ~svn-rw/.ssh/
cat ~<user used to deploy the public key>/id_rsa.pub >> ~svn-ro/.ssh/authorized_keys
cat ~<user used to deploy the public key>/id_rsa.pub >> ~svn-rw/.ssh/authorized_keys
chown -R svn-ro:svn-ro ~svn-ro/.ssh/
chmod -R go-rwx ~svn-ro/.ssh/
chown -R svn-rw:svn-rw ~svn-rw/.ssh/
chmod -R go-rwx ~svn-rw/.ssh/
#---

1.3.2. Edit the authorization key ring file: ~svn-ro/.ssh/authorized_keys AND ~svn-rw/.ssh/authorized_keys

a. It looks like this:

ssh-rsa AAAA<a lot more chars>= root@<CC server name>

b. change it to this:

command="/usr/bin/svnserve -t",no-port-forwarding,no-agent-forwarding,no-X11-forwarding,no-pty ssh-rsa AAAA<a lot more chars>= root@<CC server name>

1.4. [CC Server] Back to the CC server:

1.4.1. Create the necessary directories for the CC:

#---
mkdir -p /var/spool/cruisecontrol/{projects,logs,artifacts}
chown -R cruise:cruise /var/spool/cruisecontrol/
#---

1.4.1. Try to access the SVN server:

#---
su - cruise
svn list svn+ssh://svn-ro@<SVN server>/var/svn/
logout
#---

2. Configuring a project to be managed under the CC policy:

a. Local working copy (for the CruiseControl): /var/spool/cruisecontrol/projects
b. Special SVN repository for the CruiseControl configuration and building ANT scripts: /var/svn/cruisecontrol
c. A special SVN Project (under the /var/svn/trunk) to hold the main build and JUnit ANT scripts, that is called Master here

2.1. [SVN Server] Create the new CC root at the SVN

#---
svn mkdir -m "Initial setup: CruiseControl development tree" file:///var/svn/cruisecontrol
#---

2.4. [Dev Workstation] Create a project, named Main, and commit/import it to svn+ssh://<SVN server>/var/svn/cruisecontrol

Note.: This project must contain at least one file called build-cc.xml.

2.5. [SVN Server] To keep it simple:

#---
su - <A regular dev user>
mkdir Main
cd Main
cat > build-cc.xml << __END__
<project basedir="." default="main" name="Main">
<target name="main">
<echo message="Working"/>
</target>
</project>
__END__
svn import -m "Initial CruiseControl build file" file:///var/svn/cruisecontrol/Main
#---

2.6. [CC Server] Checkout the CC root from the SVN at the local working dir: /var/spool/cruisecontrol/projects

#---
su - cruise
svn checkout svn+ssh://svn-ro@<SVN Server>/var/svn/cruisecontrol/Main projects/Main
logout
#---

2.3. [CC Server] Create a new config.xml

[UPDATE: NOT WORKING PROPERLY] (Thanks to Leif, see comments below).

#---
cat > /etc/cruisecontrol/config.xml << __END__
<cruisecontrol>
<property name="cruise.working.dir" value="/var/spool/cruisecontrol" />
<property name="cruise.log.dir" value="\${cruise.working.dir}/logs" />
<property name="cruise.projects.dir" value="\${cruise.working.dir}/projects" />
<property name="svn.sandbox.username" value="svn-ro" />
<plugin name="basicproject" classname="net.sourceforge.cruisecontrol.ProjectConfig">
<labelincrementer defaultLabel="\${project.name}-1"
separator="-" />
<listeners>
<currentbuildstatuslistener
file="\${cruise.log.dir}/\${project.name}/status.txt" />
</listeners>
<modificationset quietperiod="30">
<svn LocalWorkingCopy="\${cruise.projects.dir}/\${project.name}" />
</modificationset>
<log>
<merge
dir="\${cruise.working.dir}/projects/\${project.name}/target/test-results" />
</log>
<publishers>
<artifactspublisher
file="\${cruise.working.dir}/projects/\${project.name}/target/\${project.name}.jar"
dest="\${cruise.working.dir}/artifacts/\${project.name}" />
</publishers>
</plugin>

<project name="Main" buildafterfailed="yes"
forceBuildNewProject="yes">
<bootstrappers>
<svnbootstrapper localWorkingCopy="\${cruise.projects.dir}/\${project.name}"
userName="\${svn.sandbox.username}" />
</bootstrappers>
<schedule interval="10">
<ant antWorkingDir="\${cruise.projects.dir}/\${project.name}"
buildfile="build-cc.xml" />
</schedule>
</project>
</cruisecontrol>
__END__
#---

[UPDATE]

2.4. [CC Server] Restart the server and check if it worked by accessing: http://localhost:8080/dashboard/

3. Have fun, configuring the build-cc.xml and organising your repository and code :-)

Related posts:
Subversion and Apache with PAM
CruiseControl on Fedora: Setup
CruiseControl on CentOS: Setup

CruiseControl on CentOS: Setup

2009-08-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

In this post I want to present a simple way to install and configure CruiseControl (hereafter just CC) to run on CentOS. For the configuration part, please refer to the Fedora procedure, since it is the same. The only difference is in how to install the CC to be similar to the RPM instalation.

1. Since I could not find any RPM specific for CentOS I have taken the binaries available at CC home-page: http://cruisecontrol.sourceforge.net/download.html

You will also need the following packages:

#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

And Sun's Java JDK: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads

2. Decompress the binary package from CC into /opt dir:

#---
unzip cruisecontrol-bin-<VERSION>.zip -d /opt/
ln -s /opt/cruisecontrol-bin-<VERSION> /opt/cruisecontrol
#---

3. Edit the starting script at: /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh

3.1. Add the following lines, right after the commented CC_OPTS variable:

JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/jre"
PATH=${JAVA_HOME}/bin:${PATH}

3.2. Check if the default port is free:

#---
nc -z localhost 8080 || echo "Port is free" # default cruise control port AND tomcat's default port, watch this out
#---

OBS.: It MUST yeld NOTHING. If it returns a "succeeded" it means that the port is occupied and you need to change it to another one.

3.3. Change the final calling statements for:

#---
cat >> /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh << __END__
# PAY ATTENTION: you ABSOLUTELY need to change the argument in the \"-webport\" if the port 8080 is already occupied
CMD="JAVA_HOME=\${JAVA_HOME:-/usr} \\
PATH=\${JAVA_HOME:-/usr}/bin:\$PATH \\
CC_OPTS=\"\${CRUISE_OPTS:-}\" \\
\$JAVA_HOME/bin/java \\
-Djavax.management.builder.initial=mx4j.server.MX4JMBeanServerBuilder \\
\"-Dcc.library.dir=\$LIBDIR\" \\
\"-Djetty.logs=$JETTY_LOGS\" \\
-jar \"\$LAUNCHER\" \$@ \\
-configfile /etc/cruisecontrol/config.xml \\
-jmxport \${CRUISE_JMX_PORT:-8000} \\
-rmiport \${CRUISE_RMI_PORT:-1099} \\
-webport \${CRUISE_WEB_PORT:-8080} \\
&"

echo \$CMD
# necessary to make the "out-of-box" version work regardless of the calling point
cd /var/spool/cruisecontrol/
eval \${CMD}
echo \$! > /var/spool/cruisecontrol/cc.pid
__END__
mv /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol2.sh
cat > /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh << __END__
#!/bin/sh
su - cruise -c /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol2.sh
__END__
chmod 755 /opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh
#---

4. Add the cruise user:

#---
groupadd cruise
useradd \
--comment "CruiseControl User" \
--home-dir "/var/spool/cruisecontrol" \
--gid cruise \
--shell /bin/bash \
cruise
#---

5. Verify if CC is running:

#---
/opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh
#---

5.1. Check if it is up and running by accessing: http://localhost:8080/dashboard (remember that if you changed the default port the value 8080 must be changed as well).

5.2. If it is up and running you may want to make it starts when the server starts:

#---
cat >> /etc/rc.local << __END__

# starts the CruiseControl
/opt/cruisecontrol/cruisecontrol.sh
__END__
#---

Related post: CruiseControl on Fedora: Setup

CruiseControl on Fedora: Setup

2009-08-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

In this post I want to present a simple way to install and configure CruiseControl (hereafter just CC) to run on Fedora. It is NOT my objective to teach you how to each and every option of the configuration file works. For that you have plenty of other sources, such as the official documentation (here) and a pretty good step-by-step install, configure, and use documentation at JavaRanch (here). My objective is to give you an example of how to install and configure a CC server. (I'm one of those guys that learn better with an example.) Feel free to adapt it to your necessities.

http://cruisecontrol.sourceforge.net/main/configxml.html
http://www.javaranch.com/journal/200409/DrivingOnCruiseControl_Part1.html

1. Since I could not find any RPM specific for Fedora I have taken the RPM for OpenSUSE from RPMpbone.net (package list here and here):

You will also need the following packages:
#---
yum -y install \
ant
#---

And Sun's Java JDK: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads

2. Setup the CC service.

Set it to use the Sun Java (it has serious problem with openJDK) by editing the file: /etc/default/cruisecontrol and including the following lines, before the final line

JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/default/jre"
PATH=${JAVA_HOME}/bin:${PATH}

2.1. Check if the default port is free:

#---
nc -z localhost 8080 # default cruise control port AND tomcat's default port, watch this out
#---

OBS.: It MUST yeld NOTHING. If it returns a "succeeded" it means that the port is occupied and you need to change it to another one. You can change it by given another port number for the variable CRUISE_WEB_PORT in the file: /etc/default/cruisecontrol

2.2. Start the CC daemon:

#---
service cruisecontrol start
#---

2.3. Check if it is up and running by accessing: http://localhost:8080/dashboard (remember that if you changed the default port the value 8080 must be changed as well).

2.4. If it is up and running you may want to make it starts when the server starts:

#---
chkconfig --level 345 cruisecontrol
#---

Related post: CruiseControl on CentOS: Setup

Sending emails from server without a local smtp server

2009-08-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, I do not like to have unnecessary daemons running on a server that are not related to the server's function and the excuse that it is easier that way does not convince me. So here is a cookbook recipe to send emails from a server without using the local smtp server (very useful for CRON scripts and other maintenance scripts).

1. You need to install mailx:

#---
yum -y install \
mailx
#---

NOTE.: For CentOS you will need nail instead of mailx (they crippled mailx in CentOS):

1.1. Install the repository from http://centos.karan.org/:

#---
wget http://centos.karan.org/kbsingh-CentOS-Extras.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/kbsingh-CentOS-Extras.repo
#---

1.2. Install nail:

#---
yum --enablerepo=kbs-CentOS-Testing -y install \
nail
#---

2. You need a copy of your SSL root certificates in the server.

2.1. On your client box, transfer your SSL certificates to the server:

#---
scp $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/<something>.default/cert<a number>.db <server ssh user>@<your server>:/path/you/can/write
#---

2.2. Go to the server and put the certificate db at some path your script has access to

3. Create a GMail account, that will be the sender in your scripts (the password will be stored on the script, so do NOT use one of your accounts)

4. On your script put the following a line like the following:

#---
mail \
-S smtp-use-starttls \
-S smtp=smtp://smtp.gmail.com:587 \
-S smtp-auth=login \
-S smtp-auth-user=<username gmail>@gmail.com \
-S smtp-auth-password=<the account password> \
-S from="<username gmail>@gmail.com" \
-S nss-config-dir=<where you stored the certificates DB file> \
-S ssl-verify=ignore \
-s "<email subject>" <to whom the email must be sent>
#---

4.1. If you are in a CentOS box, change the command mail for nail in the above command line and all will work perfectly.

[updated] Subversion and Apache with PAM

2009-07-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'm not an SELinux expert, but it really annoys me from time to time. Let me start with the whole story.

I'm simply trying to install and configure an SVN server, or subversion with you will. But I definitely want neither something like plain text authentication nor an access without authentication. Therefore I was trying to configure an access tunnelled through SSH (svn+ssh). I tried every cookbook recipe that I could put my hands on. Nothing worked. Then I started trying an SVN+Apache+SSL configuration. A little further but the authentication wasn't working. Then I figured it out: SELinux was the one to blame.

Ok, now that I just whined about SELinux lets go to the problem and how to solve it.

Problem:

- Subversion server (SVN)
- Authentication through system authentication, i.e., the linux users should have access to the SVN without requiring an extra password (the local authentication solution was no good)
- Secure access to the SVN (through SSH or HTTPS)

Solution:

1. VERY, but VERY, important FIRST step:

- reduce the SELinux enforcement level. Adjust the /etc/sysconfig/selinux file to:

SELINUX=permissive # this is definitely enough

1.1. Restart your machine. This is absolutely necessary. If you don't, none of the things will work until you do it.

2. Install the required packages:

2.1. Subversion server:

#---
yum -y install \
subversion
#---

2.2. Cyrus SASL sever (to act as a proxy for the authentication):

#---
yum -y install \
cyrus-sasl \
cyrus-sasl-md5 \
cyrus-sasl-plain
#---

2.3. The Apache server an its modules:

#---
yum -y install \
httpd \
mod_auth_shadow \
mod_auth_pam \
mod_dav_svn \
mod_ssl
#---

3. Setup your SVN repository, locally (you can visit the subversion home-page and take a look on the documentation) at, for the sake of an actual example, /var/svn/ :

#---
svnadmin create /var/svn/
svn mkdir -m "Initial setup: main development tree" file:///var/svn/trunk
svn mkdir -m "Initial setup: branches" file:///var/svn/branches
svn mkdir -m "Initial setup: tagged versions" file:///var/svn/tags
#---

3.1. Edit your SVN configuration file /var/svn/conf/svnserve.conf :

[general]
anon-access = none
auth-access = write
realm = test

[sasl]
use-sasl = true
min-encryption = 0
max-encryption = 256

4. Setup the users groups, it is necessary to have access to the SVN repository:

#---
groupadd svnusers
chgrp -R svnusers /var/svn/
chmod -R ug+rw /var/svn/
usermod -a -G svnusers <user-name that suppose to have access to the SVN>
#---

OBS.: Remember, if you are the user in question you need to logout before trying to access the SVN. The change will only take effect on the NEXT login.

4.1. Setup the apache user to be able to read the /etc/shadow file:

#---
groupadd shadow-readers
usermod -a -G shadow-readers apache
chgrp shadow-readers /etc/shadow
chmod g+r /etc/shadow
#---

OBS.: This is security problem, minor, but still. Be aware of that!

5. Setup the Cyrus SASL:

5.1. The SVN part of the SASL, in the file (which you need to create) /etc/sasl2/svn.conf:

#---
cat > /etc/sasl2/svn.conf << __END__pwcheck_method: saslauthd__END__#---

5.2. The SASL Server to use PAM as the authentication method, in the file /etc/sysconfig/saslauthd :

MECH=PAM

6. Setup the Apache server:

6.1. Add the apache user to the svnusers group, this is necessary for the apache to be able to read the files to show you:

#---
usermod -a -G svnusers apache
#---

6.2. Change Apache default group in the file /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf to be the svnusers:
Group svnusers

OBS.: Note that this is an alternative solution. The convetional solution would be to set the owner of your repository to be the apache user:

#---
chown -R apache:svnusers /var/svn/
#---

6.3. I suppose you want an SSL server then edit the file /etc/httpd/conf.d/subversion.conf :

#---
cat > /etc/httpd/conf.d/subversion.conf << __END__

LoadModule dav_module modules/mod_dav.so

LoadModule dav_svn_module modules/mod_dav_svn.so

LoadModule auth_pam_module modules/mod_auth_pam.so

LoadModule ssl_module modules/mod_ssl.so

<Location /repos> # <<<<<<< PAY ATTENTION TO THIS

DAV svn

# v----- PAY ATTENTION TO THIS

SVNPath /var/svn/

AuthType Basic

AuthPAM_Enabled on

AuthShadow on

AuthName "test"

Order allow,deny

Allow from all

# since you are restricting to the svnusers ...

Require group svnusers # <<<<<<< PAY ATTENTION TO THIS

# Limit write permission to list of valid users.

<LimitExcept GET PROPFIND OPTIONS REPORT>

# Require SSL connection for password protection.

SSLRequireSSL

Require user valid-username

</LimitExcept>

</Location>

__END__

#---

7. Setup the PAM part:

7.1. The PAM file for the SVN, in the file /etc/pam.d/svnserve :

#---
cat > /etc/pam.d/svnserve << __END__

#%PAM-1.0

auth required pam_sepermit.so

auth include system-auth

account required pam_nologin.so

account include system-auth

password include system-auth

__END__

#---

OBS.: This is the part that will be used when accessing the SVN through an SSH connection, like:

#---
svn list svn+ssh://<user-name that suppose to have access to the SVN>@localhost/var/svn
#---

7.2. The PAM file for Apache, in the file /etc/pam.d/httpd (the same as above):

#---
cat > /etc/pam.d/httpd << __END__#%PAM-1.0

auth required pam_sepermit.so

auth include system-auth

account required pam_nologin.so

account include system-auth

password include system-auth

__END__

#---

OBS.: This is the part that will be used when accessing in the browser: https://localhost/repos/

8. Put the services to start at boot time:

#---
chkconfig --level 345 httpd on
chkconfig --level 345 saslauthd on
chkconfig --level 345 sshd on
#---

8.1. Start the services now to test them:

#---
service httpd start
service saslauthd start
service sshd start
#---

8.2. Check if the services are actually on and serving:

OBS.: For this part you will need the "nc", so:

#---
yum -y install \
nc
#---

For all tests the response should be:

Connection to localhost port [tcp/https] succeeded!

#---
nc -z localhost 22 || echo "SSH is not running" # ssh
nc -z localhost 80 || echo "HTTP is not running" # http
nc -z localhost 443 || echo "HTTPS is not running" # https
#---

9. Check with a real example:

9.1. SSH access:

#---
svn list svn+ssh://<user-name that suppose to have access to the SVN>@localhost/var/svn/
#---

9.1.1. If you have something to import already:

#---
svn import svn+ssh://<username that suppose to have access to the SVN>@localhost/var/svn/trunk/ -m "Import version"
#---

OBS.: Check it out if it is there by running the command before this last on.

9.2. Https access (in a browser)

https://localhost/repos/

OBS.: It will ask your user-name and password, provide it and this should let you see the repository

9.3. Eclipse url:

svn+ssh://localhost/var/svn/

10. Possible problems:

10.1. Nothing works. Did you reboot your machine, as said in step 1.1?
10.2. No other machine, besides the one where the server is, can access the repository. Check the IPTABLES (out of the scope of this post)
10.3. Permission denied. Did you logout before trying to access (see OBS in step 4)
10.4. Some other problem. Check the following log files:

/var/log/messages # for daemon startup problems
/var/log/secure # for ssh/authentication errors
/var/log/audit/audit.log # typically for SELinux errors and general permission errors
/var/log/httpd/error_log # for regular http errors
/var/log/httpd/access_log # for regular http access log
/var/log/httpd/ssl_error_log # for https errors
/var/log/httpd/ssl_access_log # for https access log

10.4.1. Increase the log verbosity:

A. SASL: add the following line to the file /etc/sasl2/svn.conf:
log_level: 7 # the maximum log level

B. PAM: add, after each line in the PAM files, /etc/pam.d/{svnserve,httpd}, the "debug" string, like in:
auth required pam_sepermit.so debug

C. HTTP: edit the file /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf and change the "LogLevel" line to the following:
LogLevel debug

D. Restart all services and start analysing the log files.
#---
service httpd restart
service saslauthd restart
#---

[update]
Windows Eclipse users cannot benefit from this directly, they need an extra step. The procedure is at: http://www.woodwardweb.com/java/howto_configure.html or at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/620223/svn-ssh-question-in-windows

The basic configuration is to set a new environment variable for the SVN_SSH shell:

1. Download and install TortoiseSVN (link here)
2. Set-up the SVN_SSH variable:

Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced (Tab) -> Environment Variables (Button)

2.1. At "User Variables" click at New... and fill the fields:

Variable name: SVN_SSH
Variable value: C:\\Program Files\\TortoiseSVN\\bin\\TortoisePlink.exe -l <ssh username>

OBS1.: Notice that the path may change according to your installation or windows language.

OBS2.: Do NOT forget the "-l <ssh username>" part or else you will be asked about your login for each and every file you check out in eclipse.

3. Set-up Eclipse:

3.1. Add Subclipse:
Update site: http://subclipse.tigris.org/update_1.6.x

3.2. Set-up SVN modus to use SVNkit:
Window -> Preferences -> Team -> SVN
SVN Interface:

4. To remove Eclipse repository "remembering" data, remove all: <path to workspace>/.metadata/.plugins/org.tigris.subversion.subclipse.*
5. Also remove the $ECLIPSE_HOME/configuration/org.eclipse.core.runtime/.keyring (reference here)

JBoss AS 4.2.3

2009-07-10T11:55:00.001-07:00

To install JBossAS 4.2.3 is pretty straight forward with one little trick. Visit my fedora road map and add the JPackage repository for version 5.0. After that just execute the following:

#---
yum -y install \
jbossas
sun-jaxb-1.0-api \
sun-jaxb-1.0-impl \
sun-jaxb-2.1-api \
sun-jaxb-2.1-impl \
jbossweb-repolib
#---

The trick is not to install but to run it. For development you usually are on a desktop and you probably specified an invalid DNS computer name, I do. To find out which are yours:

#---
hostname
#---

To check if your name is right:

#---
ping `hostname`
#---

My returns: ping: unknown host note.tarja

So why am I telling you this. Because when running JBoss locally it will ignore your IP configurations and use the "name" returned by hostname. To avoid getting too much of a headache fix it right now with:

#---
echo "127.0.0.1 `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
#---

And check it once again:

#---
ping `hostname`
#---

Now you can run your JBoss with this little bastard out of your way.

My Fedora 11 road map

2009-07-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

- Basic system setup
-- Adjust [/etc/resolv.conf]
-- Adjust [/etc/fstab]
-- Adjust [/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0]

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
-- Adobe (flash plugin)

-- JPackage:

#---
wget http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage17.repo -O /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo
#---

--- Edit the /etc/yum.repos.d/jpackage.repo file:

If you want to work with J2EE, JBoss, and such change it to the following:
[jpackage-generic]
name=JPackage (free), generic
mirrorlist=http://www.jpackage.org/mirrorlist.php?dist=generic&type=free&release=5.0
failovermethod=priority
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://www.jpackage.org/jpackage.asc
enabled=1

[update: remove before installing, thanks to a reader comment]
-- Remove things I do NOT like (do not remove xine if you prefer KDE):

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:
-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
AdobeReader_enu \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree
#---

-- Torrent with transmission
#---
yum -y install \
transmission
#---

-- Spell-checking
#---
yum -y install \
huspell \
aspell \
gtk-spell \
aspell-en \
huspell-en
#---

--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
aspell-de \
huspell-de \
aspell-es \
huspell-es \
aspell-br \
huspell-br
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
bogofilter \
enchant \
enchant-aspell \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-wma \
xmms-cdread \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-devel \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc
--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
xpdf \
eog \
gnuplot \
grace
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
kile \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- Administration related programs
#---
yum -y install \
nmap \
mc \
tsclient \
rdesktop
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---
-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Java support:
#---
yum -y install \
gcc-java \
java-1.6.0-openjdk \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-plugin \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-javadoc \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src \
java-1.5.0-gcj \
java-1.5.0-gcj-devel \
java-1.5.0-gcj-javadoc \
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
#---

--- JBoss support:
#---
yum -y install \
jbossas
#---

--- Eclipse for Java:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-platform \
eclipse-ecj \
eclipse-jdt \
eclipse-cvs-client \
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn \
eclipse-subclipse \
eclipse-subclipse-book
#---

--- For C++ development:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-cdt
#---

--- Mylyn plugin:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-mylyn \
eclipse-mylyn-ide \
eclipse-mylyn-java \
eclipse-mylyn-bugzilla \
eclipse-mylyn-trac
#---

A note on the docs, you will find them in:

/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.5.0-gcj/
/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.6.0-openjdk/

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:

- SELinux
- Road map for Fedora 10
- Making USB to work with VirtualBox (external link)

Missing spell checker in claws-mail

2008-12-03T01:46:00.000-08:00

The claws-mail delivered to this point (version 3.6.0-1) does not include spell-checking (it hasn't included libenchant, the new spell checker interface, in its compilation). There is nevertheless a working version in rawhide. To update your claws-mail properly from rawhide:

#---
yum -y \
--enablerepo=rawhide \
upgrade \
claws*
#---

This does the trick without forcing you to enable the entire rawhide.

P.S.: Bug report 474129 in fedora's bugzilla

[updated2] My Fedora 10 road map

2008-11-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

- Basic system setup
-- Adjust [/etc/resolv.conf]
-- Adjust [/etc/fstab]
-- Adjust [/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0]

- Add repositories:
-- RPM Fusion (free)
-- RPM Fusion (non-free)
-- Adobe (flash plugin)

Note: RPM Fusion is the, guess what, fusion between Dribble, Freshrpms, and Livna repositories.

[update: remove before installing, thanks to a reader comment]
-- Remove things I do NOT like:

Here is an observation about the this step. If you are using KDE you better off not removing xine. I use Gnome, so it was never an issue for me. Please look at the useful comments left on this post. It talks for itself why it is a bad idea for KDE users to remove xine-libs. So, the safe version of the xine removal is bellow. (I still do not like it and that means that I'm still removing the front-ends but leaving the back-ends.)

--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine \
gxine* \
totem*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:
-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
mplayer \
mencoder \
live555 \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
flash-plugin \
AdobeReader_enu \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree
#---

-- Torrent with transmission
#---
yum -y install \
transmission
#---

-- Spell-checking
#---
yum -y install \
huspell \
aspell \
gtk-spell \
aspell-en \
huspell-en
#---

--- Additional languages: German (de), Spanish (es), and Portuguese from Brazil (br)
#---
yum -y install \
aspell-de \
huspell-de \
aspell-es \
huspell-es \
aspell-br \
huspell-br
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
bogofilter \
enchant \
enchant-aspell \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-wma \
xmms-cdread \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-devel \
kernel-PAE-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc
--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
xpdf \
eog \
gnuplot \
grace
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
kile \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Compression related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- NVIDA
#---
yum -y install \
kmod-nvidia-PAE \
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia
#---
-- Note about the driver:
It messes the font resolution up (IMHO). So to keep the same aspect between the normal driver and the NVIDIA driver you need to edit the file: [/etc/X11/xorg.conf] and add the following line in the section Device:

Option "DPI" "90 x 90"

My section device looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "DPI" "90 x 90"
EndSection

-- Development
--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

--- Java support:
#---
yum -y install \
gcc-java \
java-1.6.0-openjdk \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-plugin \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-javadoc \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src \
java-1.5.0-gcj \
java-1.5.0-gcj-devel \
java-1.5.0-gcj-javadoc \
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
#---

--- Eclipse for Java:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-platform \
eclipse-ecj \
eclipse-jdt \
eclipse-cvs-client \
#---

--- For SVN support:
#---
yum -y install \
rapidsvn \
eclipse-subclipse \
eclipse-subclipse-book
#---

--- For C++ development:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-cdt
#---

--- Mylyn plugin:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-mylyn \
eclipse-mylyn-ide \
eclipse-mylyn-java \
eclipse-mylyn-bugzilla \
eclipse-mylyn-trac
#---

A note on the docs, you will find them in:

/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.5.0-gcj/
/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.6.0-openjdk/

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:

- C Cedilla with Gnome

Some PDF gadgets

2008-09-16T04:11:00.000-07:00

Here some PDF gadgets that I came about (a friend of mine told me about them):

Scribus: an editor for PDFs, it also permits to insert new elements
Xournal: to assemble several PDFs in order to make a PDF collection (a conference proceedings for instance).

#---
yum -y install scribus xournal
#---

Webcam security programs

2008-09-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

Recently I was looking for webcam security tools, or CCTV if you will, and bumped into Motion and ZoneMinder.

The first is more simple and works like a "home-made"/"semi-pro" tool but you need an extra effort to get it compiled in Fedora 9 (you can get an RPM version here, which did the trick for me).

The ZoneMinder is a lot complexer and has a lot of features. But the documentation (for the new version, which is already on standard Fedora distribution) is poor and did not instruct you so well. I didn't like it very much because you need Apache and MySQL, which I usually do not need. So I preferred the Motion. Just to the sake of it, to install ZoneMinder:

#---
yum -y install zoneminder httpd mysql-server
chkconfig --level 345 httpd on
chkconfig --level 345 mysqld on
chkconfig --level 345 zoneminder on
#---

You need to add, per hand, the MySQL users, passwords, and database (refer to the documentation, I got fed up with it).

As soon as I get experienced with it I will report on that.

VirtualBox do not start: KVM

2008-09-15T02:52:00.000-07:00

Maybe it also happens to you: you try to start a virtual machine from VirtualBox and you hit an error message: "Disable KVM/VMX extensions" or something similar. The problem is: for some reason the new kernels (after 2.6.25) load some extensions. You just need to remove them. Execute the following as root:

Search for the modules:
#---
lsmod | grep kvm
#---

If there is any loaded module, unload them, in my case (respect the dependency order):
#---
rmmod kvm_intel
rmmod kvm
#---

Now try to start your machine. For me it did the trick.

SELinux too strong for me

2008-08-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

About a couple of months I bought a new computer (a laptop) and until now couldn't setup like my desktop and haven't figured out why (until today).

There were 2 annoying aspects that kept me on my nerves: I couldn't set my Gnome to a different language from the system language (I like to have the system in English a for me in German). The second point that kept me pissed off was a strange SSH error "could not chdir /home/...".

For the language it is pretty straight forward:

#---
cat > $HOME/.dmrc << __END__
[Desktop]
Language=de_DE.utf8
__END__
#---

But somehow didn't work.

My other problem, SSH login was somehow cryptic for me (how could it be?!?). But today it strikes me: SELinux (I tried a local login, in the terminal, and the same error came). Somehow SELinux prevents "login" from accessing the home directory.

Anyway, the solution, which some security freaks would recommend, was to change SELinux from "ENFORCING" to "PERMISSIVE" and reboot. To do the same:

1. Edit as root: /etc/sysconfig/selinux
2. Change the SELINUX variable to:
SELINUX=permissive
3. Reboot

That's it. Now everything works just fine.

Reader Question: Network Adapter

2008-07-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

The question:

Anonymous has left a new comment on my post "My Fedora 9 road map":

great!

what have been changed in your /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0? My fedora 9 sometimes can't detect my eth0 network card, I would like to know what config have to be changed about device eth0.

Ok Anonymous, here is the deal. You have basically two main approaches for networking: by hand our by NetworkManager. I will explain both but in case you do not have any reason not use NetworkManager I recommend it (it has some drawbacks nevertheless).

For the following instructions I assume that you are logged as root.

1. Per hand:

I assume that you do not like the GUI configuration program (which is fairly decent, as root: system-config-network) so the first step is to discover what NIC (Network Interface Controller) do you have:

1.1. Which NIC I do have:

#---
lspci # looking for Ethernet
#---

or

#---
lspci | grep -y ethernet
#---

I assume that you have the driver for it (as you said it does not work sometimes). But I does not hurt searching for any "tricks" regarding your specific NIC (googling it gives you the answer).

1.2. Looking if my NIC is "online":

Sometimes the problem is not on the NIC but on "loosing" the IP. So check it out:

#---
ifconfig -a
#---

Pay attention to the output, it must list as may "real" adapters as NICs you have (loopbacks, alias, and vmware/vbox adapters are virtual).

At this point I may answer your question: do you have more than 1 NIC? If yes then your problem is probably on knowing how to name eth0 and eth1 and so on. That is a very simple problem. Take note of the MAC address of each of your NICs, choosing the number of each one and add to /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 the following line:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0:

HWADDR=<the same string from ifconfig>

Repeat it for the other NICs that you may have.

1.3. Configure the rest of the parameters:

The rest is like to be configured (you said that it eventually works) but add one more line:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0:

NM_CONTROLLED=no

That prevents the NetworkManager from trying to override your configurations.

1.4. Deactivating the NetworkManager:

#---
chkconfig --level 2345 NetworkManager off
#---

1.4.1. There is another nice TUI program that I like for such configurations:

#---
ntsysv --level 2345
#---

1.5. Restart and check-out if it boots ok.

That is what I have to say to you based on your comment. If it does not work I could try to help you (but leave a comment with your email, I will not publish it so no spam :-)).

2. With NetworkManager:

The NetworkManager is a great tool if you have a standard machine or a notebook, because it really makes everything easy, specially with wireless and so on. In my notebook I use it but in my desktop at home no (it has more than 1 NIC and the NetworkManager is not that great with that, at least that is what my experience tells).

2.1. Enabling NetworkManager:

The very first step is to add the following line to your ifcfg-eth0

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0:

NM_CONTROLLED=yes

Then you need to enable the service at boot time:

#---
chkconfig --level 2345 NetworkManager on
#---

That is pretty much it. Just boot up and check it out.

3. Pros and Cons from NetworkManager:

The most annoying aspect of it is that it is an on demand "almost-pre-login" service and it prevents other network dependant services to work properly at boot (ntp can not adjust the clock at boot if you use NetworkManager). That for me is not ok. But again it is not its fault. The service is designed for that and to be frankly it is better so (it will be very annoying to asked at boot time to figure it out how to connect to the hotspot of your hotel, specially if it requires to logon in a home-page and put your login data). That said it relieves the pain of configuring your network every time you are relocated (if have to travel regularly you know what I mean).

That is why I prefer to suffer some lack of service in my notebook but keep things tight under my control in my desktop (I do not carry it with me, never). But it is always up to you.

Again, if you have any question you can send me a comment with your email (I will not publish your comment with your email) and I will try to help you.

Have fun!

A note on Java and OpenJDK

2008-07-18T04:21:00.000-07:00

This is curious, I have both Javas, Sun and OpenJDK, installed and for both I have the Firefox plugin (I forgot to remove Sun's after installing OpenJDK). The side-effect was a seemingly high CPU use some times in Firefox. I suspect that it was due to the fact that I have too many extensions that could be fighting over conflicting resources (like 2 extensions that control the behaviour of tabs, I don't know, just bad guess work). Anyway, the point is: it wasn't. Since I removed one of the plugins (Sun's) it all got normal.

So, if you have both plugins (or you forgot that you have both installed, like me) and are experiencing some high CPU use with Firefox, try removing one of them :-)

Have a nice day!

Migrating from Firefox 2.0 to 3.0

2008-05-31T10:56:00.000-07:00

There are some problems when migrating from Firefox 2.0 to Firefox 3.0 (in this case Firefox 3.0b5), which is the case when migrating from Fedora 8 to Fedora 9. For me it was not clear what was happening so maybe if you are experience some "weird" Firefox behaviour it might be also the case.

To keep things short:

1. Backup your bookmarks.

2. Close Firefox or kill it:
#---
killall firefox && echo done
#---

3. Remove your $HOME/.mozilla directory (or a safer measure, move it):
#---
cd $HOME
mv .mozilla .mozilla-firefox2
#---

4. Restart Firefox and start the painfully work of customising it.

Just a little history. I had had a Firefox 2.0 for a long time and when I migrated to Fedora 9 (see my road map) it also implies a migration from Firefox 2.0 to 3.0b5. The first thing, which was expected, was that my add-ons did not worked any more (compatibility issues). This was ok, I removed the deprecated add-ons and kept using the ones the worked.

The problem that first caught my attention was GMail, which was working just in the basic html mode (which sucks if you are used to the normal version). I thought that it was a problem with add-ons (so I remove every single one of them), it did not work. Then I start suspecting of Java (tried 2 Sun versions and open-java version), but it wasn't it. At the end I was suspecting some incompatibilities between Firefox and AJAX (which is what Google uses).

The very last thing, after a week or so seeking for an answer, was clearing my configuration directory. Which solved the problem. Don't ask me why, I do not know (and didn't bother to look for the answer).

The bottom line is: if you are experience some weird behaviour with Firefox, try to start fresh.

[updated] Encrypting partition with LUKS

2008-05-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

This topic is far away from new and you will find a lot of tutorials on the net. But as I already said before I lack a sort of baked recipes and central point for things. So if want the originals from this baked recipes go here and here and for the official LUKS page here

So first of all what I really need to encrypt are the following partitions:

/home
/var
/etc
swap

You can simplify by encrypting everything except /boot (ok, you may also encrypt that but I do not see the point and did not try it).

The main issue about disk encryption resides in disk performance specially by removing things (which includes moving from and to file systems). So if you really need some juicy speed upped partition I recommend to have a plain ext2/ext3 partition by the end of the disk (as closer to the out border of the disk as quick things get done, it does not apply for SCSI disks).

That said, the reasons you want to encrypt swap is to ensure that no one will eventually forces an swap attack on you (forcing the system to drop some sensitive data on the swap partition and then read them out). The /var is also important because there are the system logs and if you are a not that security freak you will eventually mix things up and type your password instead of username (which will be registered in the security log). The /etc is for the sake of it (you do not need it if you keep a safe check sum of all files there and check it before turning your network connection on, hehe). The last, but not the least, your precious /home and you know why you need it (as also RIAA).

The problem with Fedora 9 out-of-the-box procedure is that it does not randomizes the disk before encrypting it (which is important but takes a lot, but a LOT of time) and it is understandable for a installation procedure. But you want security so you want to do things right. Before you start doing things keep that in mind: you need time, a lot of time. For my SATA disk in a Pentium 4 3.2GHz the speed was about 3M/s, doing the math:

1GB ~ 6min.
10GB ~ 1h
50GB ~ 4h 45min.
100GB ~ 9h 30min.
150GB ~ 14h
200GB ~ 19h
250GB ~ 24h
300GB ~ 29h
512GB ~ 2days
1TB ~ 4days

If you know a speed upped procedure, please tell me. The speed problem is not on the disk but on the random generation, so it is unlikely to change for a notebook (if you getting nervous about that).

So the procedure is the following for a data partition and swap. But first of all (and that is VERY important) copy this text in text file and save it in your root partition (I really meant /) because you will need to shutdown your X11 AND network connections.

1. Do backup of your partition, you will lost everything.

2. Really, DO a backup, you will regret it later if you don't (you can use the FlyBack)

3. Save this text on text file in "/";

4. Logout and switch to a terminal (<CONTROL>+<ALT>+<F1> should do it) and log on as root;

5. Execute the following commandos:

5.1. Runlevel 1:
#---
telinit 1
#---

5.2. Note somewhere which is the real partition that you want to encrypt:
#---
mount | grep home
#---

It should return something like: /dev/sdaXX or /dev/hdaXX

If it returns something /dev/mapper/SEC_DEV it means that your partition was previously encrypted and you will need the real device.

5.2.1. Dealing with encrypted devices:
#---
cat /etc/crypttab | grep SEC_DEV
#---

Here you should get the real partition name.

5.3. /home:
#---
fuser -mvk /home
umount /home
#---

5.4. Verify if it was really unmounted:
#---
cat /proc/mounts | grep home
#---

5.4.1. If you have a previously encrypted partition you need this step (I'm confident that you do have a safe backup):
#---
cryptsetup remove SEC_DEV
#---

Note that I do NOT included the whole path (/dev/mapper/SEC_DEV)

5.5. Fill the partition with random data (this is the point where you must be sure you have a backup):
#---
dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/REAL_DEV
#---

The REAL_DEV is the same from step 5.2.
Note that the above command will end with and "out of space" error, do not worry about it.

5.6. Let LUKS know about your new partition.
#---
cryptsetup --verbose --verify-passphrase luksFormat /dev/REAL_DEV
#---

5.6.1. Open it:
#---
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/REAL_DEV SEC_DEV
#---

SEC_DEV is a string you like. Fedora standard is luks-REAL_DEV (like luks-sda6 for /dev/sda6).

5.6.2. Verify it is everything there:
#---
ls -l /dev/mapper | grep SEC_DEV
#---

5.7. Create the file system:
#---
mkfs.ext3 /dev/mapper/SEC_DEV
#---

5.8. Mount it, to check it out:
#---
mount /dev/mapper/SEC_DEV /home
df -h | grep home
#---

5.9. Edit your /etc/crypttab and include the following line:

SEC_DEV /dev/REAL_DEV none

[update]
5.10. Collect your UUID for the /etc/fstab:

NOTE: The method with cryptsetup does NOT work in reencrypted partitions, so prefer the tune2fs method.

#---
cryptsetup luksUUID /dev/REAL_DEV
#---

#---
tune2fs -l /dev/mapper/SEC_DEV | grep UUID
#---
[update]

It must throw something like: c3119452-5a93-49bb-9c91-28d75a830a18

5.10.1. Alternatively you can already throw it in your /etc/fstab (but be careful to include the two ">":
[update]
#---
tune2fs -l /dev/mapper/SEC_DEV | grep UUID >> /etc/fstab
#---
[update]

5.11. Edit your /etc/fstab to include the following line (removing any other existing line that refers to /home):

UUID=<YOUR UUID> /home ext3 defaults 1 2

or

/dev/mapper/SEC_DEV /home ext3 defaults 1 2

5.12. Verify again:
#---
umount /home
mount /home
#---

5.13. Restore SELinux contexts:
#---
/sbin/restorecon -v -R /home
#---

6. Now the swap partition, which is a little bit different:

6.1. Identifying the partition:
#---
swapon -s
#---

6.1.1. If it turns out to be an encrypted partition, follow the step 5.2.1.

6.2. Turn off the swap (unmount the partition):
#---
swapoff -a
#---

6.3. Repeat the steps 5.4.1. (if you need) and 5.5.

6.4. Let LUKS knows about the new partition:
#---
cryptsetup create SEC_DEV /dev/REAL_DEV
#---

Here you will get the UUID for this device, note it somewhere. Or use the cryptsetup method from step 5.10 (because it is NOT a data file system it is the only way and it works, but just for swap partitions).

6.5.1. Open it: (step 5.6.1)

6.5. Make it swap:
#---
mkswap /dev/mapper/SEC_DEV
#---

6.7. Edit your /etc/crypttab (step 5.9.).

6.6. Edit your /etc/fstab to include the following line:

UUID=<YOUR UUID> swap swap defaults 0 0

or

/dev/mapper/SEC_DEV swap swap defaults 0 0

6.7. Check it:
#---
swapon -a
swapon -s
#---

7. Reboot your system:
#---
shutdown -r now
#---

Your passphrase will be asked at boot time and after everything is running restore your backup.

Have fun!

[updated] Time Machine on Linux

2008-05-20T02:45:00.000-07:00

If wonder about the Time Machine from MacOS X and wanted it, you can make your own using rsync but if you want something more fancier (like I do) with a GUI you should try FlyBack (if it does not work try this) which is a nicely made Python program (or should I say script) that includes all your needs for a decent backup (using, of course, rsync). Try it, it worth.

By the way I already tried other solutions like:

Unison (painfully slow)
Grsync (hard to configure, exclude list is not possible)
fwbackups (very slow)
KBackup (very slow)

And my own TAR based backup script, which I was using until I tried flyback. It is really a great backup solution for the average desktop backup needs.

By the way, the first backup is a little time consuming (for my 16GB it took about an hour or so), but the following backups are very efficient (it takes no longer then 5 minutes).

P.S.: I'm using LUKS in my partitions.

[update]
I just used a full recovery from my system (I migrated my /home to LUKS and it worked just perfect, like nothing happened).

[updated] Aplause for Fedora 9

2008-05-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really impressed by Fedora 9 and here come one of my source of frustration on the previous versions: Java Support and Eclipse.

Until Fedora 8 I needed to install a "thrid party" (the original) Eclipse and Sun's Java to have a decent Java support. I needed to use the original Eclipse because somehow it doesn't wanted to use the Sun's Java, just Gnu Java (which wasn't compatible with Java 1.6). Now Fedora have really flexible Eclipse (3.3.2) with some useful plugins and I can use the Java version that I want. Here comes the hack: I do not need it any more because Gnu Java (ok, openjdk actually) is already Java 1.6 compatible. An amazing step forward to interoperability (at least for me). I still keep the Eclipse "third party" step in my road map, as also Sun's Java, but just because I haven't tried it long enough to discard it (but I'm using the Fedora packages now).

For those of you that want to give a shot:

[update]
Java source included:
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
[update]
Java support:
#---
yum -y install \
gcc-java \
java-1.6.0-openjdk \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-plugin \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-javadoc \
java-1.6.0-openjdk-src \
java-1.5.0-gcj \
java-1.5.0-gcj-devel \
java-1.5.0-gcj-javadoc \
java-1.5.0-gcj-src
#---

Eclipse for Java:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-platform \
eclipse-ecj \
eclipse-jdt \
eclipse-cvs-client \
eclipse-subclipse \
eclipse-subclipse-book
#---

For C++ development:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-cdt
#---

Mylyn plugin:
#---
yum -y install \
eclipse-mylyn \
eclipse-mylyn-ide \
eclipse-mylyn-java \
eclipse-mylyn-bugzilla \
eclipse-mylyn-trac
#---

A note on the docs, you will find them in:

/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.5.0-gcj/
/usr/share/javadoc/java-1.6.0-openjdk/

A word about flash and Firefox 3.0

2008-05-16T03:42:00.000-07:00

If you are using Firefox 3.0 and want to have flash support there is a broken dependency problem in the flash RPM, it does not include the libflashsupport, which is mandatory to have sound in flash.

So to install flash and have it working properly you need to:

1. Add flash repository: Adobe (flash plugin)

2. Install it, with libflashsupport:
#---
yum -y install \
flash-plugin \
libflashsupport
#---

The problem was reported here.

My Fedora 9 road map

2008-05-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

- Basic system setup
-- Adjust [/etc/resolv.conf]
-- Adjust [/etc/fstab]
-- Adjust [/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0]

- Add repositories:
-- Freshrpms
-- Adobe (flash plugin)
-- Livna

-- Correct conflict between livna and freshrpms (in favor of freshrpms):
Edit your [/etc/yum.repos.d/livna.repo] file to look like this:

...
#mirrorlist=http://rpm.livna.org/mirrorlist-7
exclude=vlc*,mplayer,libdvbpsi*,ffmpeg*,mencoder*,x264*,lame*
enabled=1
...

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:
-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
mplayer \
mencoder \
gecko-mediaplayer \
gnome-mplayer \
vlc \
grip \
ogle \
flash-plugin \
libflashsupport \
AdobeReader_enu \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree
#---

-- Torrent with transmission
#---
yum -y install \
transmission
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
bogofilter \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-wma \
xmms-cdread \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-encryption \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-libnotify \
pidgin-otr \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin \
purple-plugin_pack-pidgin-xmms
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc
--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
xpdf \
eog \
gnuplot \
grace
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
kile \
dictd \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Unrar and related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

-- Remove things I do NOT like:
--- Multimedia players that do not play divx/mp3 and stays as default for video and audio files:
#---
yum -y erase \
xine* \
totem*
#---

--- This is REALLY annoying, it prevents mplayerplug-in from working properly:
#---
yum -y erase \
mozplugger
#---

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Real Player (check for the RPM version)
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse

P.S.: For Real Player you will need to install the following package (broken dependency on Real Player RPM):

#---
yum -y install \
compat-libstdc++-33
#---

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

Related posts:

- Pidgin with multiple languages (obsolete by package purple-plugin_pack-pidgin, but not working properly)
- C Cedilla with Gnome
- Eclipse and Java from RPMs

There is no such thing as GPL tools or why I love GS

2008-04-22T03:29:00.000-07:00

I had had a problem, actually my advisor, to convert a bunch of PDFs to PDFs with embedded fonts. The usual windows approach is to open every single file with Acrobat Professional and embed the fonts. But I found a solution (here). To understand why non-embedded PDFs are a problem is to figure out that for some professional printers (the ones that you find by big publishers) assumes that the PDF has the fonts embedded (so that it does not have to have them installed on the printer). But back to the solution:

INPUT=<file to convert>
OUTPUT= <font embedded file>

#---
gs \
-dSAFER \
-dNOPLATFONTS \
-dNOPAUSE \
-dBATCH \
-sDEVICE=pdfwrite \
-dPDFSETTINGS=/printer \
-dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 \
-dSubsetFonts=true \
-dEmbedAllFonts=true \
-sOutputFile=${OUTPUT} \
-f ${INPUT}
#---

I left the following options out:

-sPAPERSIZE=letter
-dMaxSubsetPct=100

You may also want to change the compatibility parameter to:

-dCompatibilityLevel=1.6

To check if the fonts are OK:

#---
pdffonts ${INPUT}
pdffonts ${OUTPUT}
#---

To check if format and such are also OK:

#---
pdfinfo ${INPUT}
pdfinfo ${OUTPUT}
#---

Java... what a hell?!?[2]

2008-03-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

Following the last post about Java (here) I tell another weird Java behaviour that costed my a work day to figure it out.

//--- snippet ---//
double tst1[] = new double[]{1.0, 2.0};
double tst2[] = new double[]{1.0, 2.0};
Collection lst1 = new ArrayList();
Collection lst2 = new ArrayList();

for (double val : tst1) {
lst1.add(val);
}
for (double val : tst2) {
lst2.add(val);
}
// array version
System.out.println(tst1.hashCode());
System.out.println(tst2.hashCode());
System.out.println(tst1.hashCode() == tst2.hashCode());
System.out.println(tst1 == tst2);
// collection version
System.out.println(lst1.hashCode());
System.out.println(lst2.hashCode());
System.out.println(lst1.hashCode() == lst2.hashCode());
System.out.println(lst1 == lst2); // false
System.out.println(lst1.equals(lst2)); // true
//--- snippet ---//

Try the snippet above and you will see what I mean. I always thought that arrays would be at least hash consistent, i.e., implementing the collection specification on Java.

Once again Java had proven my intuition wrong. By the way, my output from the above snippet is the following:

//--- snippet ---//
4072869
1671711
false
false
-32504895
-32504895
true
false
true
//--- snippet ---//

gVim revisited

2008-01-31T04:04:00.000-08:00

In previous post (here) I gave some hints about gVim and some scripts. The first serious update is on the spell-checking area. The new Vim 7.0 already includes a spell-checker. To activate it include the following in your ~/.vimrc file: set spell spl=<lang>, where <lang> is of [en,en_gb,en_us,de,de_20], see the complete documentation for more (here) and a nice quick reference chart here, from where I got inspired to add my own contribution for spell-checking.

First you need to install the dictd package:

#---
yum -y install dictd
#---

Then you can add the following to your ~/.vimrc file:

nmap <silent> <F2> :!dict -s exact -d gcide -m <C-R><C-W><CR>
nmap <silent> <F3> :!dict -s exact -d gcide <C-R><C-W><CR>

This line makes a dict query for word where your cursor is (if you press <F2>. It is just a match against on of the available dictionaries (see: dict --help for more details). This is useful for dictionaries that are not that updated and when the Vim spell-checker says that a word does not exist you can double-check it with <F2>.

The second variant, pressing <F3>, gives you the word definition.

I hope you enjoy it!

Related posts: Some scripts.

Fedora Control Center: I'm impressed

2008-01-23T01:50:00.000-08:00

I just bumped into the Gnome Control Center today and I must say I'm impressed. It is just the thing that MS Windows had had since the beginning and I sort of regretted that Linux doesn't, actually didn't. It is pretty much a polished clone from the earlier versions of MS Windows Control Panel (resembles the MS Windows 2000).

The first thing I tried was the regular stuff: sound and so on. But what really impresses me was the IPTables configuring tool (Firewall). It is really not that bad. I'm still a shell guy but that control center worths the try.

Main Menu -> System -> Preferences -> Control Center

C Cedilla with Gnome

2008-01-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

This problem could be perfectly overcame with a language switch to Portuguese, but I like to have my Linux in English or German and still be able to write in Portuguese, this includes the ç characters. But the default for English and German is to produce a ć instead of our beloved cedilla.

Anyway the answer I found in here and it says the following:

1. Edit the file /etc/gtk-2.0/i386-redhat-linux-gnu/gtk.immodules
2. Add at the line beginning with: "cedilla" the language that you want to produce, as default, the c cedilla.

The original is:
"cedilla" "Cedilla" "gtk20" "/usr/share/locale" "az:ca:co:fr:gv:oc:pt:sq:tr:wa"

And I changed it to:
"cedilla" "Cedilla" "gtk20" "/usr/share/locale" "az:ca:co:fr:gv:oc:pt:sq:tr:wa:en:de"

[update] Convert .ape to .flac

2007-12-04T03:04:00.000-08:00

There is a new audio format around: the monkey's audio codec or file. To make the conversion you will need the shntools (RPM) and MAC (RPM). Notice that both RPMs are for Fedora 7, but they work. If found a Fedora 8 version, please let me know. This document is a customized version from other two documents: this and this.

- Set some variables:

CUE_FILE=<full path name to the CUE file>

#---
# assuming that the APE/FLAC file has the same name as the CUE file
APE_FILE="`basename \"${CUE_FILE}\" .cue`.ape"
WAV_FILE="`basename \"${CUE_FILE}\" .cue`.wav"
FLAC_FILE="`basename \"${CUE_FILE}\" .cue`.flac"
#---

- Convert APE file to WAV and to FLAC (if instead of an APE file it is a FLAC file you should skip this step):

#---
mac "${APE_FILE}" "${WAV_FILE}" -d
flac --best "${WAV_FILE}" "${FLAC_FILE}"
rm -f "${WAV_FILE}"
#---

- Break and convert to flac:

#---
cuebreakpoints "${CUE_FILE}" | shnsplit -o flac "${FLAC_FILE}"
#---

- Rename single tracks into music names, based on CUE file:

[UPDATE]
This script does NOT check character set validity. It means that it may not work for some particular case (or the general case in some languages). A simple example would be a CUE file in French in ISO-8859-1 (Windows default) and a Linux in Unicode (UTF-8). Oder problem also related with character set is the protection for non-valid character like ":" or "/", which may not be used within a file name. In any case the script will simply not rename the file (which will be left to the user to do). So, in the worst case, you will need to rename the failed files by hand. Useful for that will be to run the following command:

#---
grep -e "^[[:space:]]\+TITLE" "${CUE_FILE}"
#---
[UPDATE]

#---
COUNT=1;
## the first TITLE is for the album name, discard it
grep -e "^[[:space:]]\+TITLE" "${CUE_FILE}" \
| sed -e "s/.*\"$.*$\".*/\1/g" \
| while read TRACK_NAME;
do \
## just a little fine tune to have track names like
### "artist - 01 - track.flac" and "artist - 10 - track.flac"
if [ ${COUNT} -lt 10 ];
then \
NUM="0${COUNT}";
else \
NUM="${COUNT}";
fi;
ARTIST=`grep -e "^[[:space:]]\+PERFORMER" "${CUE_FILE}" \
| head -${COUNT} | tail -1 | \
sed -e "s/.*\"$.*$\".*/\1/g"`
## rename in the format: "<artist> - <track number> - <track name>.flac"
mv split-track${NUM}.flac "${ARTIST} - ${NUM} - ${TRACK_NAME}".flac;
COUNT=$(($COUNT+1));
done
#---

Java... what a hell?!?

2007-11-28T02:44:00.000-08:00

Recently I experience a problem with Java (both 1.5 and 1.6, up to update 3), which throws the following message error in your face:

The error is: xcb_xlib.c:50: xcb_xlib_unlock: Assertion 'c->xlib.lock'

It does not affects all Java programs (my Eclipse was still running) but some. Not weirdly enough it seems actually a Java problem instead of a Fedora problem. Anyway, to workaround the problem the procedure is even more weird (extracted from here):

sed -i 's/XINERAMA/FAKEEXTN/g' /usr/java//jre/lib/i386/xawt/libmawt.so

[updated3] My Fedora 8 road map

2007-11-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

- Basic system setup
-- Adjust [/etc/resolv.conf]
-- Adjust [/etc/fstab]
-- Adjust [/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0]

- Add repositories:
-- Freshrpms
-- Adobe (flash plugin)
-- Livna

-- Correct conflict between livna and freshrpms (in favor of freshrpms):
Edit your [/etc/yum.repos.d/livna.repo] file to look like this:

...
#mirrorlist=http://rpm.livna.org/mirrorlist-7
exclude=vlc*,mplayer,libdvbpsi*,ffmpeg*,mencoder*
enabled=1
...

-- Update your system:
#---
yum -y upgrade
#---

- Install additional software:
-- Multimedia:
#---
yum -y install \
mplayer \
mencoder \
mplayerplug-in\
vlc \
grip \
ogle \
flash-plugin \
k3b \
k3b-extras-nonfree \
bittorrent \
bittorrent-gui
#---

-- Email with sylpheed-claws
#---
yum -y install \
bogofilter \
claws-mail \
claws-mail-plugins \
#---

-- XMMS with its most precious plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
xmms \
xmms-libs \
xmms-skins.noarch \
xmms-mp3 \
xmms-faad2 \
xmms-flac \
xmms-wma \
xmms-cdread \
xmms-arts \
xmms-esd \
xmms-musepack \
xmms-acme
#---

-- Pidgin, a very good IM client
#---
yum -y install \
pidgin \
pidgin-encryption \
pidgin-guifications \
pidgin-otr
#---

-- For kernel modules
#---
yum -y install \
kernel-devel \
kernel-headers
#---

-- Nautilus plug-ins
#---
yum -y install \
nautilus-open-terminal \
nautilus-search-tool \
nautilus-flac-converter \
nautilus-extensions
#---

-- Misc
--- Diagrams and images, usually old stuff that I'm used to
#---
yum -y install \
graphviz \
dia \
gv \
xfig \
xpdf \
eog \
gnuplot \
grace
#---

--- Editors and related
#---
yum -y install \
gvim \
kile \
diction
#---

--- My beloved spreadsheet program
#---
yum -y install \
gnumeric
#---

--- Unrar and related programs
#---
yum -y install \
unrar \
p7zip
#---

--- My beloved debugging program
#---
yum -y install \
ddd
#---

- Install and setup third-part programs
-- VirtualBox/VMware
-- Skype
-- Acrobat Reader
-- Real Player
-- Sun Java
-- Eclipse

P.S.: For Real Player you will need to install the following package (broken dependency on Real Player RPM):

#---
yum -y install \
compat-libstdc++-33
#---

- Setup printers
- Backup [/etc] and [/boot/grub]
#---
tar -czf bkp-system.`/bin/date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M"`.tgz /etc /boot/grub
#---

- Some issues:
Acrobat Reader install its Firefox/Mozilla plug-in, which has a memory leak. I recommend to remove it. To do so:

#---
rm -f /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
#---

How to get language switch in pidgin

2007-11-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

To get language switch in pidgin you need a plugin called switch-spell, which does not come in a RPM package (as far as I know). This means that you need to get the sources (here, in download) and compile it. To make the job easier here goes the necessary packages:

dbus-devel
dbus-glib-devel
libpurple-devel
aspell-devel
gtkspell-devel
pidgin-devel

And the yum command:

#---
yum -y install \
dbus-devel \
dbus-glib-devel \
libpurple-devel \
aspell-devel \
gtkspell-devel \
pidgin-devel
#---

After that just extract the sources and compile:

#---
./configure
make && make install
#---

Have fun!

P.S.: Just remember the previous post, if you get a "fails sanity check" error.

Funny thing: "fails sanity check"

2007-11-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

Ok that is a very funny error and I have never got it, until today. But why should I get such an error trying to compile something if I do have GCC and any other prereq whatsoever? The point is, and do not ask me why, GCC package does not requires glibc-headers. So you may get that following funny, and for me cryptic message, even though I have had "/lib/cpp" (go figure!):

configure: error: C++ preprocessor "/lib/cpp" fails sanity check

Anyway, just install the package and everything will go as you expect.

#---
yum -y install glibc-headers
#---

2007-11-13T07:32:00.000-08:00

Fedora 8 screw big time

For those who got the "Invalid Module Format" trying to install/configure any module after installing Fedora 8 here is why. (It affects VMware (version Workstation 6.0.2 build-59824) and VirtualBox (version 1.5.2) BIG TIME!)

1. You have installed "kernel-devel" afterwards using yum (that is what I used);
2. Fedora 8 install kernel.i586 and yum (version 3.2.7) kernel-devel.i686 (notice the difference in the architecture?);
3. You can NOT upgrade your kernel to a i686 version.

How do I fixed the problem?

1. Install the "kernel-xen" and boot your box with it;
2. Remove ALL kernel instances (NOT kernel-xen, which your are using now);
2.1. You will need to remove 2 more packages too:
rpm -e xorg-x11-drv-nouveau xorg-x11-drivers
rpm -e kernel.i586 kernel-devel
3. Re-install the kernel:
yum -y install kernel.i686 kernel-devel.i686 xorg-x11-drv-nouveau xorg-x11-drivers
4. Reboot with the new kernel
5. Recompile the modules or, in case of vmware and virtual box, setup:
vmware-config.pl
/etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup
6. Enjoy!

[updated] Some life changing (g)VI(M) scripts

2007-06-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Ok first I need to say that I use gvim for both text, using LaTeX, and code, mainlly C/C++, writting. So the focus is on both aspects.

LaTeX:

. LaTeX-Suite: here and here

- ~/vimrc:
filetype plugin on
set grepprg=grep\ -nH\ $*

- Comments: it works only if you start vim with a ".tex" file.

. Instead of vimspell use the native VIM spell-checker (for VIM 7.0 or greater, Fedora 8 or greater).

- ~/vimrc:
nmap <F10> :setl spell spl=de_de<CR>
nmap <F11> :setl spell spl=en_gb<CR>
nmap <F12> :setl spell spl=<CR>

- Comments: the out-of-the-box VIM come just with the English US dictionary, so to add more dictionaries, with your special flavour, just execute manually (once per language) the fallowing command in VIM:

:setl spell spl=xx_xx

Where "xx_xx" is the language you want to use, for instance: pt_br, es_es, es_mx, en_gb, en_ca, de_de, de_ch, for Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish Spanish, Mexican Spanish, British English, Canadian English, German German, Switzer German.

The languages supported are all languages present in OpenOffice.

[DEPRECATED]
. vimspell: here

- ~/vimrc:
" VimSpell settings
highlight SpellErrors ctermfg=Red guifg=Red
\ cterm=underline gui=underline term=reverse
au VimEnter * SpellAutoEnable
let spell_update_time = 2000
" file types to allow correction on
let spell_auto_type = "all"
" on-the-fly type correction
let spell_insert_mode = 0
" which corrector to use
let spell_executable = "aspell"
" languages
let spell_language_list = "en_GB,de_DE,pt_BR"
let spell_auto_jump = 0

- Comments: It is a must for every one that writes something besides code without comments :-)
[DEPRECATED]

Programming:

. csupport: here, but usually already on vim/gvim package.

- ~/vimrc:
let g:C_AuthorName = 'Your name'
let g:C_Email = 'your.email@your.provider'

- Comments: It helps, A LOT!

. Tags menu: here

- ~/vimrc:
let Tmenu_ctags_cmd = '/usr/bin/ctags'
let Tmenu_max_submenu_items = 20
let Tmenu_max_tag_length = 10
let Tmenu_sort_type = "name"

- Comments: it creates, using gvim, a menu item called "Tags" with the current file tags.

. taglist: here

- ~/.vimrc:
nnoremap <silent> <F8> :TlistToggle<CR>

- Comments: This is THE killer tag browser and that map above makes it reachable by pressing <F8>. Check it out.

Related posts: gVim revisited.

Almost a year

2007-06-10T03:45:00.000-07:00

That's it: this blog was dead for almost a year and is time to do some catch up, if I still have any reader. But anyway this is more for me than for you and I can also practice my English (as you can see need a lot of improvements).

Nevertheless here comes some things that I'm very excited about:

- CDT 4.0 RC3 for Eclipse 3.3
- Fedora 7

First why is CDT to be excited about, because it has a refactoring tool that actually works. Ok it is just a renaming tool, so what? That means that they are really into keeping track of your code, including documentation. So I believe that they are bringing all those cool refactoring tools, like move, in no time. Then a C/C++ programmer can have all those nice things about Java IDE in a C/C++ free IDE.

And what about Fedora 7, there is nothing REALLY new on it. Well, first they are free from the RH packaging tools, which means that hopefully there will be some Fedora "the way I wanted" 7. But here some critics about Fedora: they should be more careful about the RPMs, which have broken dependencies, like VLC. We are talking about VLC, which is a major end-user application. The new version has also some stability issues, specially xorg. But the new xorg is kicking asses!!! If you don't saw it, please DO.

The new xorg is already with the 3D Desktop concept in it. They must polish some rough edges, like maximizing, but it looks good, very good. It is a mixture of OSX (with that very nice + behaviour) with 3D Desktop environment. But has I said, it needs some refinement, maybe on the next major upgrade.

Flash and FC5

2006-06-22T02:32:00.000-07:00

To make the flash plugin works on Fedora Core 5 I sugest the following link:

http://macromedia.mplug.org/

Where you get the RPM: flash-plugin-7.0.63-1.i386.rpm

And after installing it, as root, run:

/usr/lib/flash-plugin/setup

Kernel 2.6.15-1.1830_FC4 fixes DMA problem and new updated ethernet problems

2006-02-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

The recent kernel, 2.6.15-1.1830_FC4, fixes the DMA problem on SiS 965 with driver SiS 5513. And the recent updates, I couldn't detect what was it, fixed the problems with SiS190 Ethernet controller.

Maibe I need a new hardware to find new problems :-).

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1656_FC4, try 1

2006-01-08T03:36:00.000-08:00

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1656_FC4, try 1

That is a patch to allow:
DMA Support to Southbridge SiS 965 with driver SiS 5513.
NTFS Read support.
Fix SiS190 Ethernet controller, [sis190].
Make SATA SiS, [sata_sis], part of kernel, instead of a module.

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.14-1.1656_FC4

Approach:
Apply all patches that I published, and apply to that situation.

Remarks:
SiS 5513, try 3
SiS 190, try 3

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:
2.6.14-1.1656_FC4

2. Create the patch files mentioned on the remarks.

3. Create the script to change the defaults values on kernel configuration, called [/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh]:

#!/bin/bash
# Please note that this script do NOT check if the [.config] was already patched
#
find /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/ -name "*.config" -print | while read FILE
do
mv ${FILE} ${FILE}.orig
cat ${FILE}.orig | sed -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI=$./\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=$.*/\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SIS190=$./\1m/" -e "s/$CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIS5513=$./\1y/" -e "s/# CONFIG_NTFS_FS is not set/CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m\n# CONFIG_NTFS_DEBUG is not set\n# CONFIG_NTFS_RW is not set\n/" > ${FILE}
done

4. Create the kernel spec patch, called [/usr/src/redhat/SPEC/kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1656.patch]:

--- a/kernel-2.6.spec 2006-01-08 12:26:50.000000000 +0100
+++ b/kernel-2.6.spec 2006-01-08 12:30:37.000000000 +0100
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ Summary: The Linux kernel (the core of t
%define sublevel 14
%define kversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
%define rpmversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
-%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
+#%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
+%define rhbsys sis
%define release %(R="$Revision: 1.1656 $"; RR="${R##: }"; echo ${RR%%?})_FC4%{rhbsys}
%define signmodules 0
%define make_target bzImage
@@ -307,6 +308,7 @@ Patch1301: linux-2.6-net-sundance-ip100A
Patch1302: linux-2.6-net-atm-lanai-nodev-rmmod.patch
Patch1303: linux-2.6-net-acenic-use-after-free.patch
Patch1304: linux-2.6-net-sk98lin-vpd.patch
+Patch1305: linux-2.6-sis190.patch

Patch1400: linux-2.6-pcmcia-disable-warning.patch

@@ -348,6 +350,8 @@ Patch1771: linux-2.6-sata-promise-pata-p
Patch1782: linux-2.6-selinux-mls-compat.patch
Patch1783: linux-2.6-usbhid-wacom.patch
Patch1790: linux-2.6-block-reduce-stack.patch
+Patch1795: linux-2.6-pci_ids.patch
+Patch1796: linux-2.6-sis5513.patch

# ACPI patches.
Patch1800: linux-2.6-acpi-enable-ecburst.patch
@@ -728,6 +732,8 @@ cd linux-%{kversion}
%patch1303 -p1
# sk98lin vpd fix
%patch1304 -p1
+# sis190 fix hangup
+%patch1305 -p1

# disable pcmcia warnings
%patch1400 -p1
@@ -803,6 +809,9 @@ cd linux-%{kversion}
%patch1783 -p1
# Decrease stack usage in block layer
%patch1790 -p1
+# Fix DMA on SiS965 southbridge with SiS5513 driver
+%patch1795 -p1
+%patch1796 -p1

# ACPI patches.
# Enable EC burst

5. Execute the script to change kernel defaults:

###
cd /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/
sh ./make-config.sh
###

6. Apply the kernel spec patch:

###
cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/
patch -p1 kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1656.patch
###

7. Build the rpms:

###
rpmbuild -bb --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec
###

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4, try 2

2006-01-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4, try 2

Apologise:
I apologise for my last post where I say that was everything alright, I was wrong.

That is a patch to allow:
DMA Support to Southbridge SiS 965 with driver SiS 5513.
NTFS Read support.
Fix SiS190 Ethernet controller, [sis190].
Make SATA SiS, [sata_sis], part of kernel, instead of a module.

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.14-1.1653_FC4

Approach:
Apply all patches that I published, and apply to that situation.

Remarks:
SiS 5513, try 3
SiS 190, try 3

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:
2.6.14-1.1653_FC4

2. Create the patch files mentioned on the remarks.

3. Create the script to change the defaults values on kernel configuration, called [/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh]:

#!/bin/bash
# Please note that this script do NOT check if the [.config] was already patched
#
find /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/ -name "*.config" -print | while read FILE
do
mv ${FILE} ${FILE}.orig
cat ${FILE}.orig | sed -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI=$./\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=$.*/\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SIS190=$./\1m/" -e "s/$CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIS5513=$./\1y/" -e "s/# CONFIG_NTFS_FS is not set/CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m\n# CONFIG_NTFS_DEBUG is not set\n# CONFIG_NTFS_RW is not set\n/" > ${FILE}
done

4. Create the kernel spec patch, called [/usr/src/redhat/SPEC/kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1653.patch]:

--- kernel-2.6.spec 2006-01-04 19:27:27.000000000 +0100
+++ kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1653.orig 2005-12-26 09:04:38.000000000 +0100
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ Summary: The Linux kernel (the core of t
%define sublevel 14
%define kversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
%define rpmversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
-#%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
-%define rhbsys sis
+%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
%define release %(R="$Revision: 1.1653 $"; RR="${R##: }"; echo ${RR%%?})_FC4%{rhbsys}
%define signmodules 0
%define make_target bzImage
@@ -308,7 +307,6 @@ Patch1301: linux-2.6-net-sundance-ip100A
Patch1302: linux-2.6-net-atm-lanai-nodev-rmmod.patch
Patch1303: linux-2.6-net-acenic-use-after-free.patch
Patch1304: linux-2.6-net-sk98lin-vpd.patch
-Patch1305: linux-2.6-sis190.patch

Patch1400: linux-2.6-pcmcia-disable-warning.patch

@@ -354,8 +352,7 @@ Patch1771: linux-2.6-sata-promise-pata-p
Patch1780: linux-2.6-net-bonding-feature-consolidation.patch
Patch1781: linux-2.6-net-bridge-feature-consolidation.patch
Patch1782: linux-2.6-selinux-mls-compat.patch
-Patch1783: linux-2.6-pci_ids.patch
-Patch1784: linux-2.6-sis5513.patch
+

# ACPI patches.
Patch1800: linux-2.6-acpi-enable-ecburst.patch
@@ -735,8 +732,6 @@ cd linux-%{kversion}
%patch1303 -p1
# sk98lin vpd fix
%patch1304 -p1
-# sis190 fix
-%patch1305 -p1

# disable pcmcia warnings
%patch1400 -p1
@@ -818,9 +813,6 @@ cd linux-%{kversion}
%patch1780 -p1
%patch1781 -p1
%patch1782 -p1
-# Fix DMA on SiS965 southbridge with SiS5513 driver
-%patch1783 -p1
-%patch1784 -p1

# ACPI patches.
# Enable EC burst

5. Execute the script to change kernel defaults:

###
cd /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/
sh ./make-config.sh
###

6. Apply the kernel spec patch:

###
cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/
patch -p1 kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1653.patch
###

7. Build the rpms:

###
rpmbuild -bb --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec
###

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

SiS Ethernet 0190 [sis190] patch, try 3

2006-01-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

SiS Ethernet 0190 [sis190] patch, try 3

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.14-1.1653_FC4
2.6.14-1.1656_FC4

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel the module for SiS Ethernet controller model 190/191 hang the system if there is no response on the network, like an DHPC server failure.

Bugzilla:
Number 176969 at http://bugzilla.redhat.com/

1. You need to disable network and reboot, to avoid system hang:

chkconfig --level 345 network off

2. Get and install the kernel source that applies:

3. Unpack the kernel:

cd /usr/src/redhat/SPEC
rpmbuild -bp --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec

4. Get the SiS driver for Linux
To take the driver by yourself go to SiS download center and chose:
Network Driver -> SiS190 Gigabit & SiS191 LAN -> Linux -> GO
Than proceed to the download of "SiS190 / SiS191 Gigabit LAN / LAN driver for Linux kernal 2.6.9 or later."

5. Extract the file [sis190.c] and make a patch from it:

tar -vxzf sis190191_linux.tar.gz -C /tmp/ # file from SiS
mkdir -p /tmp/a/drivers/net/
mkdir -p /tmp/b/drivers/net/
cp /tmp/sis190_20041220/sis190.c /tmp/b/drivers/net/
cp /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/sis190.c /tmp/a/drivers/net
cd /tmp/
diff -Nup a/drivers/net/sis190.c b/drivers/net/sis190.c > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6-sis190.patch # create a patch file for later
cp /tmp/b/drivers/net/sis190.c /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/ # this will patch the actual expansion to make a new module right now.

6. Prepare the kernel to compile the modules:

cd /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/
cp /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/kernel-2.6.14-i686.config .config # for normal i686
# cp /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/kernel-2.6.14-i686-smp.config .config # for i686 SMP

5. Compile the modules and copy override the old driver

cd /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/
make modules
cp /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/sis190.ko /lib/modules/2.6.14-1.1644_FC4/kernel/drivers/net/sis190.ko # for normal i686
depmode -eaF /boot/System.map-2.6.14-1.1653_FC4 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4 # for normal i686
#cp /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/sis190.ko /lib/modules/2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp/kernel/drivers/net/sis190.ko # for i686 SMP
#depmode -eaF /boot/System.map-2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4smp # for i686 SMP

6. Reenable the network and reboot

chkconfig --level 345 network on
shutdown -r now

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4

2005-12-26T05:51:00.000-08:00

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4

Apologise:
I apologise for my last post where I say that was everything alright, I was wrong.

That is a patch to allow:
DMA Support to Southbridge SiS 965 with driver SiS 5513.
NTFS Read support.
Make SiS190 Ethernet controller, [sis190], part of kernel, instead of a module.
Make SATASiS, [sata_sis], part of kernel, instead of a module.

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.14-1.1653_FC4

Approach:
Apply all patches that I published, and apply to that situation.

Remarks:
SiS 5513, try 3

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:
2.6.14-1.1653_FC4

2. Create the patch files mentioned on the remarks.

3. Create the script to change the defaults values on kernel configuration, called [/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh]:

#!/bin/bash
# Please note that this script do NOT check if the [.config] was already patched
#
find /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/ -name "*.config" -print | while read FILE
do
mv ${FILE} ${FILE}.orig
cat ${FILE}.orig | sed -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI=$./\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=$.*/\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SIS190=$./\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIS5513=$./\1y/" -e "s/# CONFIG_NTFS_FS is not set/CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m\n# CONFIG_NTFS_DEBUG is not set\n# CONFIG_NTFS_RW is not set\n/" > ${FILE}
done

4. Create the kernel spec patch, called [/usr/src/redhat/SPEC/kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1653.patch]:

--- kernel-2.6.spec.orig 2005-12-26 09:04:38.000000000 +0100
+++ kernel-2.6.spec 2005-12-26 09:08:49.000000000 +0100
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ Summary: The Linux kernel (the core of t
%define sublevel 14
%define kversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
%define rpmversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
-%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
+#%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
+%define rhbsys sis
%define release %(R="$Revision: 1.1653 $"; RR="${R##: }"; echo ${RR%%?})_FC4%{rhbsys}
%define signmodules 0
%define make_target bzImage
@@ -352,6 +353,8 @@ Patch1771: linux-2.6-sata-promise-pata-p
Patch1780: linux-2.6-net-bonding-feature-consolidation.patch
Patch1781: linux-2.6-net-bridge-feature-consolidation.patch
Patch1782: linux-2.6-selinux-mls-compat.patch
+Patch1783: linux-2.6-pci_ids.patch
+Patch1784: linux-2.6-sis5513.patch

# ACPI patches.
@@ -813,6 +816,9 @@ cd linux-%{kversion}
%patch1780 -p1
%patch1781 -p1
%patch1782 -p1
+# Fix DMA on SiS965 southbridge with SiS5513 driver
+%patch1783 -p1
+%patch1784 -p1

# ACPI patches.
# Enable EC burst

5. Execute the script to change kernel defaults:

###
cd /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/
sh ./make-config.sh
###

6. Apply the kernel spec patch:

###
cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/
patch -p1 kernel-2.6.spec.2.6.14.1-1653.patch
###

7. Build the rpms:

###
rpmbuild -bb --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec
###

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

SiS IDE Controller 5513 [sis5513] with Southbridge SiS 965 patch, try 3

2005-12-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

SiS IDE Controller 5513 [sis5513] with Southbridge SiS 965 patch, try 3

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.14-1.1653_FC4
2.6.14-1.1656_FC4

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel there is no support to DMA on the SiS IDE controller model 5513 with Southbridge SiS model 965.

Bugzilla:
Number 176560 at http://bugzilla.redhat.com/

Inspired on:
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/10/5/293

Approach:
Modify the module source to recognise the controller hardware.
In this case the south bridge controller: SiS965.

Remarks:
RPM kernel spec file part will be covered on the kernel specific part.

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:

2. Patch to the file [pci_ids.h], at [/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6-pci_ids.patch]:

--- a/include/linux/pci_ids.h 2005-12-26 09:00:09.000000000 +0100
+++ b/include/linux/pci_ids.h 2005-12-26 09:00:27.000000000 +0100
@@ -672,6 +672,7 @@
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_961 0x0961
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_962 0x0962
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_963 0x0963
+#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_965 0x0965
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5107 0x5107
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5300 0x5300
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5511 0x5511

3. Patch to the file [sis5513.c], at [/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6-sis5513.patch]:

--- a/drivers/ide/pci/sis5513.c 2005-12-26 08:59:29.000000000 +0100
+++ b/drivers/ide/pci/sis5513.c 2005-12-26 09:02:44.000000000 +0100
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
* ATA16/33 support from specs
* ATA133 support for SiS961/962 by L.C. Chang
* ATA133 961/962/963 fixes by Vojtech Pavlik
+ * ATA133 inspired on http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/10/5/293
*
* Documentation:
* SiS chipset documentation available under NDA to companies only
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@
#define ATA_100a 0x04 // SiS730/SiS550 is ATA100 with ATA66 layout
#define ATA_100 0x05
#define ATA_133a 0x06 // SiS961b with 133 support
-#define ATA_133 0x07 // SiS962/963
+#define ATA_133 0x07 // SiS962/963/965

static u8 chipset_family;

@@ -87,6 +88,8 @@ static const struct {
u8 chipset_family;
u8 flags;
} SiSHostChipInfo[] = {
+ { "SiS965", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_965, ATA_133 },
+
{ "SiS745", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_745, ATA_100 },
{ "SiS735", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_735, ATA_100 },
{ "SiS733", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_733, ATA_100 },

New kernel 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4 fixes all

2005-12-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

Ok the new kernel 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4 fixes all problems regarding my hardware: it has boot support to SiS182, module [sata_sis], and also does not hang the system with the network driver, [sis190], and actualy works.

So there is no need, I hope, for any further kernel patch consearnig my hardware.

Now I will have time to post about other topics that I find interesting.

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4

2005-12-14T14:17:00.000-08:00

My patches to kernel 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4

That is a patch to allow:

SiS SATA 0182 support at the startup of Fedora Core 4 (I do not have an IDE hard drive to boot my Linux)

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel the module [sata_sis] is not loaded at boot time.

Approach:
Apply all patches that I published, and apply to that situation.

Remarks:
sis190

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:
2.6.14-1.1644_FC4

2. Apply the above mentioned patches on the Remarks:

3. Include the module [sata_sis] to the initial image:

mkinitrd -f --with=sata_sis --with=libata --with=scsi_mod /boot/initrd-2.6.14-1.1644_FC4.img 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4 # normal i686
#mkinitrd -f --with=sata_sis --with=libata --with=scsi_mod /boot/initrd-2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp.img 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp # i686 SMP

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

SiS Ethernet 0190 [sis190] patch, try 2

2005-12-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

SiS Ethernet 0190 [sis190] patch, try 2

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.14-1.1644_FC4

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel the module for SiS Ethernet controller model 190/191 hang the system.

Bugzilla:
bug 175807

0. You need to disable network and reboot, to avoid system hang:

chkconfig --level 345 network off

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:

2. Unpack the kernel:

cd /usr/src/redhat/SPEC
rpmbuild -bp --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec

2. Get the SiS driver for Linux
To take the driver by yourself go to SiS download center and chose:
Network Driver -> SiS190 Gigabit & SiS191 LAN -> Linux -> GO
Than proceed to the download of "SiS190 / SiS191 Gigabit LAN / LAN driver for Linux kernal 2.6.9 or later."

3. Extract the file [sis190.c] and put it on the right place:

tar -vxzf sis190191_linux.tar.gz # file from SiS
cp sis190_20041220/sis190.c /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/

4. Prepare the kernel to compile the modules:

cd /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/
cp /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/kernel-2.6.14-i686.config .config # for normal i686
# cp /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/kernel-2.6.14-i686-smp.config .config # for i686 SMP

5. Compile the modules and copy override the old driver

cd /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/
make modules
cp /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/sis190.ko /lib/modules/2.6.14-1.1644_FC4/kernel/drivers/net/sis190.ko # for normal i686
depmode -eaF /boot/System.map-2.6.14-1.1644_FC4 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4 # for normal i686
#cp /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.14/linux-2.6.14/drivers/net/sis190.ko /lib/modules/2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp/kernel/drivers/net/sis190.ko # for i686 SMP
#depmode -eaF /boot/System.map-2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4smp # for i686 SMP

6. Reenable the network and reboot

chkconfig --level 345 network on
shutdown -r now

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

My patches to kernel 2.6.12-1.1381_FC3

2005-11-05T23:02:00.000-08:00

That is a patch to allow:

SiS SATA 0182 support at the startup (I do not have an IDE hard drive to boot my Linux)
SiS Ethernet 0190 module driver
SiS 5513 IDE DMA support

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel there is no support on [sata_sis] module to the model 182 and it is not loaded at boot time.
There is no module to the SiS Ethernet controller model 190/191.
And there is no support to DMA on the SiS IDE controller model 5513.

Approach:
Apply all patches that I published, and apply to that situation, and modify the spec file to cope with the rpm kernel generation.

Remarks:
You should read and apply the partial patches already published, as follows:
sata_sis
sis190
sis5513

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:
2.6.12-1.1381_FC3

2. Apply the above mentioned patches on the Remarks:

3. Script to pre-change all [.config] files:

Approach:
I prefer this script rather to create patches. I think it is more clear to understand what is going on here.
Basically I instruct the kernel to:

3.1. Add the SCSI support as a kernel internal instead of a loadable module:
CONFIG_SCSI=y
3.2. Add the SATA SCSI support for SiS as an internal:
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=y
3.3. Add a NEW line to include the new driver, as a loadable module, for SiS Ethernet controller model 190/191 (that has no conterparter on this kernel).
CONFIG_SIS190=m

3.4. The script:

### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh << __END__
#!/bin/bash
# Please note that this script do NOT check if the [.config] was already patched
#
find /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/ -name "*.config" -print | while read FILE
do
mv \${FILE} \${FILE}.orig
cat \${FILE}.orig | sed -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI=$./\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=$.*/\1y/" -e "s/$CONFIG_SIS900=m$/\1\nCONFIG_SIS190=m/" > \${FILE}
done
__END__
chmod 700 /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh
### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh ###

Note: Note that this script do NOT check if the files were already patched.

3.5. Executing the scritp, JUST ONCE:

/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/make-config.sh

4. Patch the kernel spec file:

4.1. Patch file:

### /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec.patch ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec.patch << __END__
--- a/kernel-2.6.spec 2005-10-21 09:41:01.000000000 +0200
+++ b/kernel-2.6.spec 2005-11-05 16:31:20.000000000 +0100
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@
%define sublevel 12
%define kversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
%define rpmversion 2.6.%{sublevel}
-%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
+#
+# I just do no like Fedora standard names for self-made kernels, so I call it just [sis]
+#
+#%define rhbsys %([ -r /etc/beehive-root -o -n "%{?__beehive_build}" ] && echo || echo .`whoami`)
+%define rhbsys sis
%define release %(R="$Revision: 1.1381 $"; RR="${R##: }"; echo ${RR%%?})_FC3%{rhbsys}
%define signmodules 0
%define make_target bzImage
@@ -162,6 +166,7 @@

Source0: ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-%{kversion}.tar.bz2
+Source1: linux-2.6.12-sis190.tar.bz2

Source10: COPYING.modules
Source11: genkey
@@ -201,6 +206,8 @@
Patch301: linux-2.6.12-serial-of.patch
Patch302: linux-2.6.10-ppc-headerabuse.patch
Patch303: linux-2.6-windtunnel-printk.patch
+Patch304: linux-2.6.12-sis190-Kconfig.patch
+Patch305: linux-2.6.12-sis190-Makefile.patch

# 400 - 499 ia64
Patch400: linux-2.6.3-ia64-build.patch
@@ -248,6 +255,8 @@
Patch1060: linux-2.6.3-crash-driver.patch
Patch1070: linux-2.6.0-sleepon.patch

+Patch1080: linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch
+
# SCSI bits.
Patch1101: linux-2.6.9-scsi-advansys-enabler.patch
Patch1102: linux-2.6.9-scsi-megaraid-legacy.patch
@@ -255,6 +264,8 @@
Patch1104: linux-2.6.12-scsicam-geom-fix.patch
Patch1105: linux-2.6-scsi-sym2-alloc_lcb_tags-atomic.patch
Patch1106: linux-2.6-scsi-aic-dma39bit.patch
+Patch1107: linux-2.6.12-sata_sis182-light.patch
+Patch1108: linux-2.6.12-sata_sis182.patch

# NFS bits.
Patch1200: linux-2.6.9-NFSD-non-null-getxattr.patch
@@ -418,6 +429,10 @@
rm -rf linux-%{kversion}
cp -rl vanilla linux-%{kversion}

+#
+# Here I'm ashamed, I really do not known how to do that with more elegancy
+#
+tar -xjf %{SOURCE1}
cd linux-%{kversion}

#
@@ -451,6 +466,9 @@
%patch301 -p1
%patch302 -p1
%patch303 -p1
+# Patch for sis190 NIC
+%patch304 -p1
+%patch305 -p1

#
# ia64
@@ -554,6 +572,11 @@
%patch1070 -p1

#
+# SiS 5513 DMA support
+#
+%patch1080 -p1
+
+#
# SCSI Bits.
#
# Enable Advansys driver
@@ -568,6 +591,11 @@
%patch1105 -p1
# Fix aic7xxx >4GB
%patch1106 -p1
+# Fix sata_sis suport to sis182
+# light version, just an ID tag added
+%patch1107 -p1
+# complete version from SiS, but does not boot
+#%patch1108 -p1

#
# Various upstream NFS/NFSD fixes.
__END__
### /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec.patch ###

4.2. Applying the patch:

cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/
patch -p1 < kernel-2.6.spec.patch

5. Making the RPMs from spec:

cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/

5.1. Clean previous build (do NOT forget this):

rpmbuild --clean kernel-2.6.spec ### clean all

5.2. Build all for your platform, it may be one of them so please take the one that applies to you:

# rpmbuild -ba --target=i586 kernel-2.6.spec ### to install from a CD
# rpmbuild -ba --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec ### I use this one
# rpmbuild -ba --target=x86_64 kernel-2.6.spec ### AMD64

Note: Of course there are more options, but for a regular user these ones above must cover most of the cases.

5.3. Take time to see a film, read a book or something else, because it will take long (from 2 to 3 hours).

6. Install the new kernel, that will be written at: [/usr/src/redhat/RPMS/], in my case:

rpm -Uvhi /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i686/kernel-2.6.12-1.1381_FC3sis.i686.rpm
rpm -Uvhi /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i686/kernel-smp-2.6.12-1.1381_FC3sis.i686.rpm

7. Test it and adjust the GRUB configuration to boot with the new kernel (if it wasn't already done), it is at: [/etc/grub.conf]

8. Say thanks if it works or what goes wrong :-).

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

SiS IDE Controller 5513 [sis5513] patch, try 2

2005-11-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.12-1.1381_FC3

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel there is no support to DMA on the SiS IDE controller model 5513.
Go figure why on the file [sis5513] there is no string to address DMA setup to the "SiS5513" chipset, maybe sooner support and no rework after that.

Approach:
Modify the module source to recognise the controller hardware.
In this case the south bridge controller: SiS965.

Remarks:
RPM kernel spec file part will be covered on the kernel specific part.

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies:

2. Patch to the file [sis5513.c]:

### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch << __END__
--- a/drivers/ide/pci/sis5513.c 2005-11-05 19:26:57.000000000 +0100
+++ b/drivers/ide/pci/sis5513.c 2005-11-05 19:31:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@
u8 chipset_family;
u8 flags;
} SiSHostChipInfo[] = {
+ { "SiS695", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_965, ATA_133 },
+
{ "SiS745", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_745, ATA_100 },
{ "SiS735", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_735, ATA_100 },
{ "SiS733", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_733, ATA_100 },
--- a/include/linux/pci_ids.h 2005-11-05 19:38:13.000000000 +0100
+++ b/include/linux/pci_ids.h 2005-11-05 19:39:18.000000000 +0100
@@ -661,6 +661,7 @@
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_961 0x0961
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_962 0x0962
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_963 0x0963
+#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_965 0x0965
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5107 0x5107
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5300 0x5300
#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5511 0x5511
__END__
### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch ###

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

SiS IDE Controller 5513 [sis5513] patch, try 1

2005-11-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.12-1.1381_FC3

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel there is no support to DMA on the SiS IDE controller model 5513.
Go figure why on the file [sis5513] there is no string to address DMA setup to the "SiS5513" chipset, maybe sooner support and no rework after that.

Approach:
Modify the module source to recognise the controller hardware.

Remarks:
RPM kernel spec file part will be covered on the kernel specific part.

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies :

2. Patch to the file [sis5513.c]:

### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch << __END__
--- a/drivers/ide/pci/sis5513.c 2005-11-05 12:29:17.000000000 +0100
+++ b/drivers/ide/pci/sis5513.c 2005-11-05 12:29:37.000000000 +0100
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@
{ "SiS5596", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5596, ATA_16 },
{ "SiS5571", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5571, ATA_16 },
{ "SiS551x", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5511, ATA_16 },
+ { "SiS5513", PCI_DEVICE_ID_SI_5511, ATA_133 },
};

/* Cycle time bits and values vary across chip dma capabilities
__END__
### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis5513.patch ###

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.

SiS Ethernet 0190 [sis190] patch, try 1

2005-11-05T06:39:00.000-08:00

Supported (tested) kernels:
2.6.12-1.1378_FC3
2.6.12-1.1381_FC3

Problem:
On original Fedora kernel there is no module to the SiS Ethernet controller model 190/191.

Approach:
Get the driver from SiS and patch the kernel to recognise it and compile it.

Remarks:
RPM kernel spec file part will be covered on the kernel specific part.

1. Get and install the kernel source that applies :

2. Get the SiS driver for Linux
To take the driver by yourself go to SiS download center and chose:
Network Driver -> SiS190 Gigabit & SiS191 LAN -> Linux -> GO
Than proceed to the download of "SiS190 / SiS191 Gigabit LAN / LAN driver for Linux kernal 2.6.9 or later."

3. Extract the file [sis190.c] and repack it like this:

tar -vxzf sis190191_linux.tar.gz # file from SiS
mkdir -p linux-2.6.12/drivers/net/
cp sis190_20041220/sis190.c linux-2.6.12/drivers/net/
tar -vcjf /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190.tar.bz2 linux-2.6.12/drivers/net/sis190.c

4. Patch to the [.config] file, so the module will be compiled:

### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-config.patch ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-config.patch << __END__
--- a/.config 2005-09-29 10:37:15.000000000 +0200
+++ b/.config 2005-09-29 10:42:06.000000000 +0200
@@ -1255,6 +1255,7 @@ CONFIG_8139TOO_PIO=y
CONFIG_8139TOO_8129=y
# CONFIG_8139_OLD_RX_RESET is not set
CONFIG_SIS900=m
+CONFIG_SIS190=m
CONFIG_EPIC100=m
CONFIG_SUNDANCE=m
# CONFIG_SUNDANCE_MMIO is not set
__END__
### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-config.patch ###

5. Patch to Kernel network [Kconfig] file:

### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-Kconfig.patch ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-Kconfig.patch << __END__
--- a/drivers/net/Kconfig 2005-06-17 21:48:29.000000000 +0200
+++ b/drivers/net/Kconfig 2005-09-29 10:41:13.000000000 +0200
@@ -1571,6 +1571,16 @@ config SIS900
To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
will be called sis900. This is recommended.

+config SIS190
+ tristate "SiS 191/190 PCI Gigabit/Fast Ethernet Adapter support"
+ depends on NET_PCI && PCI
+ select CRC32
+ ---help---
+ Say Y here if you have a SiS 191/190 PCI Gigabit/Fast Ethernet adapter.
+
+ To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
+ will be called sis190. This is recommended.
+
config EPIC100
tristate "SMC EtherPower II"
depends on NET_PCI && PCI
__END__
### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-Kconfig.patch ###

6. Patch to network makefile:

### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-Makefile.patch ###
cat > /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-Makefile.patch << __END__
--- a/drivers/net/Makefile 2005-09-29 10:37:07.000000000 +0200
+++ b/drivers/net/Makefile 2005-09-29 10:40:51.000000000 +0200
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_E100) += e100.o
obj-$(CONFIG_TLAN) += tlan.o
obj-$(CONFIG_EPIC100) += epic100.o
obj-$(CONFIG_SIS900) += sis900.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_SIS900) += sis190.o
obj-$(CONFIG_YELLOWFIN) += yellowfin.o
obj-$(CONFIG_ACENIC) += acenic.o
obj-$(CONFIG_ISERIES_VETH) += iseries_veth.o
__END__
### /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.12-sis190-Makefile.patch ###

Please always address to my hardware, os and kernel patching general procedures before posting a question.